


Mr and Mr

by softlyspoken



Category: robron
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sexuality Crisis, also a v shitty plot and a lot of falling in love with an idiot stuffs, fake marrieds lol, it's ridiculous because it’s not even anything about spies being spies, spy AU, the vaguest smut, think of a romcom but gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 21:30:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19754173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlyspoken/pseuds/softlyspoken
Summary: Robert and Aaron are spies, their next mission involves going undercover as a happily married couple. Only they hate each other.





	Mr and Mr

**Author's Note:**

> Who’s ready for some FAKE MARRIAGE SHENANIGANS

He’s eating a jam donut when he feels a hard thump to the back of his head. He rocks forward on instinct to see Barton grinning at him like he’s a baby. 

It’s how it all starts. 

The scowl on his face is firmly in place, sharp enough to make Adam take that stupid smile off his face and start actually speaking. 

“White wants ya.” He says, bites a fingernail and then goes to shake at his shoulders. 

“Chrissie.” He tries his luck like he hasn’t shattered her heart one too many times already. 

“Nice try.” Adam stretches a hand out towards him and lifts him up like Robert’s ancient or something. “Lawrence.” 

Robert’s face falls against it and something tightness in his throat. He’s been waiting for this day. In fact he’s been trying to find out how he’s going to try and fight for his job really. The idea of trying to get Lawrence to think he wants him is actually pretty high up.

He likes what he does. 

He’s earned this job because he’s _good_ at it. He goes undercover because he’s born to be pretend like he’s someone he isn’t. 

It’s why when he comes into Lawrence’s office he basically has a whole speech laid out for him. It starts with saying sorry for making his daughter cry and leading on the other one. It ends with him wriggling an eyebrow and managing to make Lawrence smile.

Only he doesn’t get the chance to say anything at all.

“I have a job for you.” Lawrence fiddles with his glasses and looks up towards him with a slight smile on his face that stops when Robert stares at him in shock.

“A job?”

“Isn’t that why I employ you?” Lawrence removes his glasses, clearly annoyed. 

“Yes. Of course.” Robert scratches his head awkwardly and tells Lawrence to carry on.

“Illegal activity, it’s fraud related but we’re not sure exactly. The man seems to be hiding under a false name so we’re going to need you to get close and find out what’s going on.”

“Get ... close?”

Lawrence’s old but he still blushes like he’s just realised what Robert’s daring to imply.

“We don’t do that.”

“I know we don’t. But ... are you saying I should?”

Lawrence’s jaw tightens and he pulls out a photograph of a small house. 

“I don’t under—“

“You’re moving across the road from him.”

Robert’s face falls. “What? I can’t just —“

“What are you leaving behind? You’ve already broken Chrissie’s heart so ...”

Robert rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell people you’re undercover. That’s your golden rule.”

“Yes well I thought you’d get round to telling her before you asked her to marry you.” Lawrence waves a hand up. “That’s besides the point.”

“Is it?”

“Pardon?”

“This. Is it punishment for not telling her I’m some secret _spy_ the government knows about but _shouldn’t_ know about.”

“No.” Lawrence snaps. “It’s because you’re up for a difficult job. It might take time to properly crack him.”

Robert looks down at the file. “Tom Waterhouse?” He looks a little younger than him, like he should be on the Apprentice or something. 

Lawrence nods and then passes over another file. “You can still be called Robert. But —“

“Hang on.” Robert’s throat closes up as he reads the small print. “Says I’m married.”

“Yes.”

“I’m _not_.”

Lawrence’s eyebrow arches. “Hmm well you are for this. You have to be unassuming.”

“Unassuming?” It sounds like boring or dull and that’s exactly what Robert thinks of when he indulges the idea of being a _husband_. “Fine. To who?” 

Lawrence’s eyes widen as he waves for someone to come in.

“Robert. You know Aaron don’t you?”

And oh. Fuck this. 

—

They were supposed to meet at half six and it’s nearing on seven when he comes in. He had a wobble on the way here and then decided to give himself a break. 

He fixes his tie whilst taking in the surroundings of the small place before he looks at who’s sitting at the table waiting for him. 

He’s not even disappointed. He sort of smiles. 

He’s seen him around for work, only knows that Adam always bangs on about him and that he’s the youngest spy they have. He’s somehow worked his way up to where he is but he’d not know about that. He keeps himself to himself does Aaron. 

He’s sitting there with a proper pout on his face, playing with the cutlery and Robert tries not to think it’s intimidating.

He breathes in, adjusts his tie again and then breathes out before walking towards him.

“Sorry I’m late.” 

Aaron looks up, his eyes are bright and blue and Robert tries to smile when he scowls at him. The scowl of his turns into surprise though and he stands abruptly.

“Clever joke mate, well done.” Aaron’s saying, he’s wearing a nice black shirt and Robert supposes he really doesn’t like many other colours. He’s not seen him in anything else anyway. 

“Well done?”

Aaron straightens his back. “You think it’s funny.”

“The way you’re acting ... yeah.”

“Me being gay.” Aaron snaps. “Some massive joke to ya?”

Robert has no idea what to say so he shakes his head. “Do you?” He asks.

“What?” Aaron scowls again. “No.”

“You sound like a self hater to me.”

“Well you sound like a _prat_.” Aaron goes to leave and Robert is too stunned to even stop him. “Who put you up to it anyway?”

“Up to _what_?”

“This.” Aaron waves a hand down at the table, all his shouting’s blown out the small candle in between them on the table. “It was meant to be a blind date and you rock up _late_ and being ... you and not someone who isn’t a straight ladies man.”

Robert gets it. It’s not like he broadcasts the news to everyone but he’s ‘open to it’ is what people know. Stupid Adam got in his head and he’s ended up here. Now he doesn’t know what was wrong with him. 

“I’m not ...”

“Leyla, Chrissie, her sister —“

“Straight. I’m uh ... just ... not straight.” He shouts and everyone in the restaurant looks at him. He might as well start dancing on the table waving a pride flag. He sort of wants the ground to swallow him whole. 

Aaron’s face is a picture. His eyes flicker and he looks embarrassed, annoyed, like he doesn’t know what to say. 

“Adam said it’d be a laugh and this ...” He waves a hand out. “Really isn’t.”

“I didn’t know —“

“Didn’t give me time to explain.”

“Well maybe if you weren’t late.”

“Well _maybe_ if you didn’t list every person you think I’ve had sex with.” Robert says. He sticks a hand in his pocket and the leather squeaks as Aaron’s eyes turn beady. “Then you’d have been able to hear me out.” 

“Why would I want to? You’re _Robert Sugden_.” Aaron looks at him up and down and Robert frowns. He feels like he’s a teenager again, getting judged by someone he foolishly wanted to impress. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You have a reputation.”

“For getting results.”

“For doing things the way we shouldn’t.” And apparently Aaron thinks he’s an angel. He thinks that works and can be true when he’s also a _Dingle_. 

Robert blinks. “Well if you have such a bad opinion of me. Piss off.” 

“No.” Aaron says. He sits instead. “Ordered myself a pint and I’m drinking it.” So he stays and Robert orders himself a glass of red and they front it out for forty five minutes until Adam comes in laughing his head off.

Aaron calls him a prick, says he’s out of his mind if he thinks he’d go anywhere near Sugden and then he leaves.

Robert’s left paying the bill.

—

Aaron corners him at lunch when he’s at Tesco searching for a decent meal deal. He’s got a black bomber jacket on, hand up against a sliding fridge and showing the checkered material of the lining. 

“We not going to talk about the job then?” Aaron says, voice rough as ever. 

Robert’s been ignoring the possibility of talking to him for nearly a year and a half now and it really isn’t fair that he’s forced to look at him, actually communicate. 

“What about it?”

Aaron shrugs. “Seems cool.” He says, pretty much like he’s twelve. 

“Yeah. That’s why we take the jobs.” Robert grabs a ploughman’s and tries not to focus on the way Aaron judges that too. He pulls a face like it’s a weird choice, it’s a totally normal choice. 

“It needs two people.”

“Well you and Adam can go all rainbow on the case if you want. Probably make all your dreams come true.” Robert says as he gets out a bottle of water. He turns to see Aaron scowling at him. 

“Lawrence wants you.”

“Who doesn’t?” Robert smirks, it’s pretty funny seeing Aaron riled up. He’s almost known from going zero to a hundred in about three seconds and it’s happening again. “Oh.” He smirks. “You can only do it if I do.” 

Aaron’s jaw pulsates in this weird way and he steps back, crosses his arms over. “Well?”

Robert debates whether or not he wants cheese and onion or prawn cocktail.

“Only if you stop being yourself.” Robert says. “I’m in.” He decides because it sounds good and Aaron being an idiot isn’t going to stop him. 

He goes for prawn cocktail.

—

“Do we _have_ to be married?” Robert looks at Lawrence, shoulders shrugging slightly as he pulls a face.

“We’ve set everything up now.” Lawrence says. “We don’t have the budget to change things to suit you.”

Aaron’s got his arms folded as he stands against the wall. “Yeah Sugden. Why the _big_ problem. Because I’m not a leggy blond?”

Robert wants to hit him, mainly because although he hasn’t plucked up the courage to tell everyone that he isn’t exactly straight, Aaron knows from that ugly date of theirs and yet he’s still a prick about it.

He wonders if Aaron’s offended, thinks Robert was going through some faze considering all the girls he’s been with since. 

“Because you’re you.” Robert says and then he looks back at Lawrence. “Look it has to be _believable_.” He waves a hand out and shakes his head when Aaron scowls at him. “Right?”

Lawrence sighs. “You’re a happily married young couple yes.”

Robert rolls his eyes. “It won’t work.”

“But you’re _such_ a good liar.” Aaron tilts his head and smirks. He’s such a fucking dick. “We all remember the business with —“

“Shut your mouth.” Robert says, he goes to lean forward and Aaron steps away from the wall.

“Happily married couple.” Lawrence groans down towards his desk and sighs. 

“See. It won’t work.” Aaron shouts, he really raises his voice and waves an arm out for good measure too. 

“Well. Make it work.” Lawrence snaps. “I mean it. You have to be unsuspecting.”

“And two gays just screams unsuspecting of being spies?”

Lawrence nods. “Pretty much.” He says. “You won’t be blending in, but you’re difference will just be that you’re gay. Nothing else to look for.”

It’s pretty smart in its own way. It just won’t work. Robert tries to say as much.

“Honestly. I think we should think of another plan. It won’t work.” Aaron just looks at his nails, and Lawrence is hardly listen. “I mean it, I’m not doing it like this.”

—

“You want help with your bags husband?” Aaron’s smirking, he sort of finds this funny and Robert hates him even more for it. 

He’s gay. Everyone knows it, he’s fine about it. He looks like he’s done all the brooding self loathing stuff years ago and now he’s all relaxed about it. 

Proud even. 

Twat. 

They’ve pulled up to the house and it’s small enough to make Robert pull a face. 

“Hardly splashed the budget.” Robert says, brings his suitcase towards the door.

“Well our honeymoon to the south of France was only a long weekend wasn’t it? This part of London doesn’t come cheap.” Aaron’s almost enjoying himself and Robert sighs. 

“No one’s around.” 

“And?” Aaron frowns at him.

“You don’t need to pretend or whatever.” Robert waves a hand out and Aaron reminds him that they have to go through things. They have to get to know their lives apart and together. 

It sounds like a lot of stupidity but they _have_ to. 

“Just having some fun.” Aaron smirks as he holds up a cardboard box. “Method acting, think that’s what it’s called anyways.”

“You’ve changed your tune.”

“Well one of us have to be the adult here.” He points out. “Husband.” 

He hates how it makes him look away. He needs to get a grip. He’s fine with it, he _is_. He’s kissed men, he’s shagged plenty. 

His eyes close and he sees something he doesn’t want to though. 

—

“There’s only one bed.” Robert stares down at it, it’s clearly smaller than his one at home and he suddenly misses it. 

Aaron rolls his eyes. “I can see that.” 

“Yeah well ...” Robert kicks the bed and sighs. “What we going to do?”

“You can sleep on the sofa. I’m not.” Aaron turns and jumps back on the bed like an child. Robert pulls a face as he sees him sit up, his trainers sliding over the mattress. He puts an arm on the back of his neck, smirks as he closes his eyes and relaxes. 

Suddenly Robert doesn’t want the stupid sofa. 

“I’m not either.” 

Aaron scoffs. “Well —“

“If you can keep your hands to yourself then ...”

“What, my big _gay_ hands won’t control themselves.” Robert looks away when Aaron sits up on the bed with his elbows. 

Robert turns red. He really hates him. He says as much whilst he grabs for his bag and Aaron just raises an eyebrow.

“You love me.” Aaron calls it.

And yeah that’s not fucking happening. 

—

“Dad.” Robert steps into the bedroom, sees his dad taking his boots off and getting mud everywhere.

His mum would shout at him for it but she’s not here anymore so it doesn’t really matter.

His dad looks up and nods.

“I’m off now. My train’s in an hour.” 

His dad doesn’t say anything. He half expected a lift to the station, half expected a hug goodbye.

“I’ll let you know when I’m there.”

And his dad just nods his head again. “You go make me proud.”

Make me proud.

Not _you make me proud already._

It hurts. 

—

Aaron’s into indie shit, he’s playing the music loudly in the bedroom whilst Robert makes pasta and only comes out when he’s plating up.

“Oh. Don’t mind me.” Aaron says, he crosses over towards the kitchen and sits up on the counter. 

“Figured you’re old enough to know how to cook yourself.” Robert has to push Aaron’s leg out the way to reach for the cutlery draw. 

“Hmm. You definitely are.” Aaron mumbles, biting his nails like a kid.

“Sorry?”

“Yeah you should be.” Aaron bounces off the counter and says something about ordering Chinese like Robert cares. “No need to ask if you want anything too.”

Robert feels guilty for a single second and then Aaron calls him selfish and he’s back to wanting to throttle him again. 

—

They sleep with a duvet in between them. A whole duvet. 

It’s the middle of May and the air is thick and hot and yet Aaron loses all that cockiness of his when it comes to sleeping in just his pants.

“I’m not going to perv.” Robert says, he goes to take his top off and Aaron’s eyes widen slightly. He hesitates before keeping it on.

“It just ain’t that hot.” Says Aaron, the man who’s wearing a blue hoodie over a thin vest top. He’s insane. He’s even more insane than Robert gave him credit for. 

“Whatever.” Robert slumps to his side, turns away from Aaron and feels him do the same. 

It’s weird, beyond weird really. 

And yet it’s only the beginning.

—

“You fucking kick.” Aaron snipes, tea in hand and hair curly and flat against his forehead. 

He looks pissed off but there’s no change there.

“You fucking snore.” Robert snaps back before turning the kettle back on for his coffee. 

—

Tom Waterhouse’s place is a lot nicer than there’s is to look at. His front door is lined with silver and he has a drive. 

But that’s not the point really.

The point _is_ he’s dodgy, as in too squeaky clean looking to not be. 

“He’s too young to be projecting annual turnovers like that.” Robert looks down at the table and up at Aaron again. He’s biting his nails, looks like he has no clue what he’s saying. “Too much money.”

“I’m not _thick_.” Aaron stresses the k and Robert just rolls his eyes before looking down at the files again. 

“He’s up to something.”

“So we’re here off of a hunch?” Aaron keeps his feet up on the sofa and tilts his head. 

Robert brings out an account verification this Tom has set up in Finland. “He’s moving money about. And we know he’s got a business here that no one really knows what it’s about. It looks like he’s setting up some business empire or something.” 

Aaron pulls a face before scratching his beard. “Right. So ... better go and introduce ourselves.” He picks up his beer and doesn’t really make any move to get up. 

Robert rolls his eyes. “What and have him suss us out?”

Aaron squints. “How would he?”

“Look at the way you’re looking at me.” Robert says, because he’s pretty much ruining what Lawrence wanted for the _happily_ married couple thing. 

Aaron sighs. “Fair point.”

—

The darkness of the room is enough to make him relax a little, that and the fact that he knows Aaron’s busy pottering around in the bathroom making a mess.

He sits at his laptop and contemplates sending an email to Chrissie. It’s been nearly two months now and he wants to move forward with her. He wants to apologise, he sort of wants to give her back the ring too, wants her to wear it on the right finger and tell everyone that he’s hers.

He wants her love because it’ll mean something. 

Something finally will mean _something_.

He starts the email, clicks his neck as he sits up on the bed and he thinks about how he should begin. He wants to say that he’s undercover and that he’ll be back soon. 

Aaron suddenly opens the door abruptly with a toothbrush in his mouth. 

“Fucking hell.” Robert closes his laptop and stares up.

“Ew were you watching porn?”

Robert’s eyes widening. “What? No. I was just sending an —“

“Well anyways, Lawrence rang.” He needs to spit so he runs back to the bathroom and Robert’s left twiddling his thumbs until he comes back. “Says Tom’s on holiday. So we sort of have time.”

“Time to what?”

Aaron shrugs. “Not look like we want to choke each other in the non kinky way?” He laughs at his own jokes too. 

Robert rolls his eyes and sighs. 

—

Aaron looks at Robert from across the dining table and tilts his head. 

“What?”

“Well we’re sat here and no communication is taking place.” Aaron waves a hand out and looks down at the list. “We’re supposed to be making it seem real.”

Robert isn’t still trying to be totally against this but he’s struggling to think about how exactly this is supposed to work. He’s also thinking about the fact that a year and a half ago this was something he would have been a little happy about. Then Aaron opened his mouth and he loathed him. 

“I don’t really think he’s going to care that we’re not dry jumping each other at every second.” Robert frowns, he leans back against the chair and thinks. “We just have to ...”

“Have to what?” Aaron leans over, cups his face slightly out of boredom.

“We have to trust each other.” Robert says quietly. “If he sees that then ... all the other boring marriage shit should come with it.”

Aaron frowns and then sits up again. 

“What?”

“You.” Aaron doesn’t miss a beat. “Weren’t you engaged to Chrissie?”

Robert wants to say he still is but he doesn’t because he’s not. Maybe in his _mind_ he is but she doesn’t want anything to do with him. He’s a liar. Her dad is a liar.

She’s pretty adamant. Oh and he’s shagged her sister but she doesn’t even know about that yet. 

“We’re going through ...”

“A break up?” Aaron almost snorts and Robert can’t handle how stupid he is, he’s Adam with more facial hair.

Robert runs a hand up his thigh in frustration. “You don’t have a clue.”

“I know you clearly still want her.” Aaron shrugs. “Don’t really know why though.” He keeps staring, looks all intense about it. “Or maybe I do.”

Robert’s cheeks flush red and he stands. “Stop trying to do the whole analysing thing. You don’t even know me.”

Aaron gulps and he plays with his hands a little. “That’s the point.” He waves a hand out. “Can we agree on one thing?”

Robert shrugs. “Go on.”

“We only do pet names in the most extreme of circumstances. Like when we _have_ to prove we like each other.”

Robert can agree to that.

—

“Tom’s back soon.” Robert says, he crosses over towards the living room to see Aaron playing on his phone like he’s eleven. “Aaron.”

“What?” He looks up with a frown on his face like Robert’s disturbed him praying or something. 

“Tom. He’s back soon.” Robert says. “So we need to actually get down to business now.”

Aaron leans back against the sofa. “You talking about us consummating the marriage?”

Robert sort of envies how relaxed he is a about himself, he also wants to him to shut his face too. 

“I’m talking about you and me. We don’t know anything about each other.” Robert sits on the corner of the sofa and he leans forward. 

Aaron crosses his legs over and turns towards Robert. “Right. We’re Mr and Mr ...”

Robert grabs their case folder and looks through it. “Lawrence hasn’t told us.”

“So ... we just make it up ourselves?” Aaron folds his arms over. “And it can’t be Dingle?”

“Well considering we’re _undercover_ ... I think not.” Robert sighs. 

“How about Suggle?” Aaron pulls a face as he says it but he still does. 

Robert smiles. “It’s Williams.” He holds up a sheet of paper in the file and Aaron frowns.

“Well that’s shit.”

“Yeah. And _Suggle_ is so much better.”

Aaron shrugs. “Could be our private joke.”

And oh. They get to have private jokes now do they?

Robert rolls his eyes and then they actually start trying to learn things about each other. Aaron has way too many sugars in his tea and they both worked as mechanics when they were younger. They’re going with their love of cars as the string that ties them together if anyone asks how they met or whatever. 

Aaron’s from a big family who are proud of him, he doesn’t talk about his dad and Robert doesn’t even mention his. 

“Oh and uh ... favourite colour?” It’s nearly half ten, they’ve been talking about nothing for hours and trying to avoid the questions they have to be asked. Aaron crosses his arms and tilts his head before fighting back a laugh. He really does think he’s funny. 

—

“These came today.” Robert says. He looks down at the small envelope addressed to Mr and Mr. Aaron snatches it, tilts the envelope until two rings fall out. Silver and thick. 

“Guess it’s official.” Aaron says. He pulls this face and Robert just rolls his eyes. “What, you thinking back to our wedding night?” 

“You’re not funny you know.” Robert takes his ring, his hands are larger so he knows which one is for him. He’s surprised they’ve gone to this effort really. They can’t afford a place big enough for two bedrooms but two real silver rings is absolutely _fine_.

He’s starting to wonder whether this is Lawrence trying to get his own back on Robert for Chrissie’s heartbreak. 

It’s starting to feel like that when Aaron sticks it on. 

“What?” He asks, face all young and stupid and innocent. 

“Wrong finger you idiot.” Robert waves his hand up and Aaron pulls a face as he puts it right. 

—

“Oi. Wake up!” Aaron practically climbs on top of Robert as he shakes him awake.

Robert groans. “Definitely the worst person I’ve woken up to on my lap.” He rolls himself up and Aaron looks out towards the window. “What are you —“

“Tom. He’s back from wherever he’s been.” 

Robert jumps up, eyes growing bigger as he looks at his car. It’s probably the only thing him and Aaron have in common as they silently stare at it in awe. 

“We should go say hello or something. Be neighbourly.” He adds when Aaron looks like he’s just said they should run around the street naked.

“Suppose.” Aaron crosses his arms and Robert sticks his jogging bottoms on before heading down stairs. He only stops when Aaron calls him back. “Oi. Don’t be weird.” 

Robert scowls. “You what?”

Aaron empties the bin and pushes it towards Robert. “Take this out. And don’t be too full on.” He says, he’s standing there in a blue pyjama top and joggers and he’s telling Robert how to behave. 

“As opposed to you who’s never too full on, who is basically lying on his —“

Aaron rolls his eyes and opens the door for Robert just as he sees Tom pulling out his suitcases out of his boot.

And there’s someone else too. 

“Who’s that?” Robert’s eyes are glued towards the woman who walks out of the passenger seat. She’s wearing a checkered skirt and a matching blazer, hair in a tight ponytail as she shuts the door behind her. 

Aaron steps forward to have a look and just shrugs. “Who cares?”

“Me.” Robert says, keeps staring until he watches Tom look over at him and wave.

“You’re new.” He comments, he looks even younger than Robert thought he would and suddenly he’s jealous of the car he’s driving. He remembers what he was doing when he was about his age and everything is unfair in the world really. 

“Just moved in.” Aaron says. “I’m Aaron. This is Robert.”

Tom comes over and Robert holds the bin bag tighter as he tries his best to soak in all of him, search for anything interesting.

“Ah. Thought so, the last tenants were a bit of a rowdy young bunch.” Tom looks at Robert. “Don’t need to worry about that here.”

And oh. He’s a arsehole too.

Aaron laughs though and the woman Tom’s with shakes her head a little. Yeah. He likes her. 

“Yeah. We’re boring and married now.” Aaron says, squinting because of the sun but with such ease. Robert envies him. 

“Married?” Tom seems to find that amusing or something and Aaron’s back is instantly up. 

“That a problem?”

Tom shrugs. “You don’t look it, that’s all.”

“What married?” Robert makes it hard for him, watches him squirm for a second before he says the word gay and Robert stops himself from pulling a face.

“Charming.” Aaron scowls but his voice isn’t really there and Robert knows what he’s thinking. They don’t look married because they’re standing about three feet apart and Robert’s making eyes at whoever this woman is.

Robert shakes his head abruptly though, snaps out of it and brings his arm around Aaron’s shoulder. “Well I can assure you ...”

“Oh don’t worry.” Tom says. “Me and Priya believe you. Just me being —“

“An idiot?” 

Robert wants to slap Aaron but Tom seems to just laugh it off before turning back to his house.

“I’ll see you two love birds around then.” Tom says before turning back, Priya waves and Robert watches her go before feeling an elbow to the ribs. 

“What the fuck was —“

“You can let me go now.” Aaron snaps, ducking out of his hold. 

“You’re really blowing this for us with your stupidness.” Robert says as soon as Aaron shuts their down and turns towards him. 

“Me?”

“Yes you. We have to get him to like us, and you call him an idiot.”

“He was the one being rude about —“

“Who cares?” Robert snaps. “We’re not actually married.”

“Yeah well I’m actually gay.” Aaron retaliates. “So I care about what people say about who I am.” He goes to turn away, dramatic as bloody ever. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Robert’s got a hand on his hip and he’s still not even fully awake but he knows that he doesn’t like this, the way Aaron seem to always have a job over _this_. 

“You know what it means.” Aaron says. “Oh and if you think you’re getting into that Priya’s knickers then you’ve got another thing coming.”

“Oh really? Even if it —“

“Happily married man Sugden. Deal with it.”

—

Robert stares up at the ceiling and sighs. 

“Can you stop doing that.” Aaron groans as he turns towards Robert in the bed and pulls the duvet up towards him.

“What _breathing_?” 

“Thinking so loud. All the sighing is getting on my nerves.” Aaron closes his eyes again and buries his head down into the pillow.

“Just thinking about what you said yesterday.” Robert says and Aaron just frowns. “Got to be celibate don’t I? Until this is over.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes.

“I can hardly bring home someone can I?”

“Do it in the toilets of a club.”

Robert looks disgusted, Aaron forgets who he’s talking to for a second before rolling his eyes again and thinking.

“Get Tinder or Grinder or whatever it is you’re doing these days and do it elsewhere for all I care.”

“You wouldn’t ... mind?” Robert doesn’t even know why he’s asking but this all still so weird. It’s weird because they’re sharing a bed, he’s got a wedding ring on.

“Nah. Would you?”

“No.” Robert says quickly.

“Well that’s settled then.” Aaron sticks his head back down on his pillow and then pulls it up again. “And if no one wants you ... there’s always a quick wank in the shower isn’t there?”

Robert smirks before laying down again. 

—

He’s working for Tom’s business and that’s the only real way he can get close enough to it to see what’s happening. 

He turns up on the Monday morning in his nice suit and a weird look from Aaron to keep him going. He’s told him to stop trying to be young too so Robert is overwhelmed with support from his _husband_. 

He doesn’t see him though, Lawrence has put him where he thinks it’ll matter most and that’s in accounts. 

There’s a guy called Graham who’s basically a robot who doesn’t say a single word but seems to know everything that’s going on. Robert can tell with just his eyes.

It’s weird, he’s weird.

Tom sees him when he’s leaving, he’s all wide eyed and confused and there’s also a smirk on his face about it.

“Fancy seeing you here.” 

Robert smirks. “Yeah well, new place, new job.” He explains that he’s working in accounts and Tom sees impressed and unbothered at the exact same time. 

“Well good luck.”

“Could go get lunch one time if you’re around.” Robert says, and suddenly Aaron’s dancing around his head telling him to not try too hard. 

He waits for Tom to see anything but he doesn’t. Instead he just cracks some joke about Aaron, says something about him being gay and Robert hates it. 

He sticks his head down and Tom says he’s kidding.

“Obviously I am. Priya tells me I do it to much.”

No fucking way.

“Girlfriend.”

Tom raises an eyebrow. “Interested?” And maybe Robert turns bright red. “Kidding _again_.”  He says as he stares at Robert’s wedding ring. 

He seems like a dick. He really is a dick. 

“See you around.” Tom turns and leaves and Robert’s still ranting about it when he comes home.

The place is somehow a mess. Aaron’s on the floor scribbling something and reading newspaper clippings like a serial killer. 

“So he didn’t say if it was a yes or a no to lunch then?” 

Robert tilts his head to the side. “Have you even been listening?”

“Of course husband dearest.” Aaron says, voice high and mocking. “Whilst you’ve been out trying to get down with the kids I’ve been doing real work.” He sits on his hands and smirks. 

Basically he’s found more about the offshore account Tom’s been funding. 

Robert gets out a beer and sits with him on the floor. “He’s such a dick.”

“Hmm.” Aaron looks over his notepad. “Maybe he doesn’t like you liking it.” Robert stares blankly at him. “By _it_ I mean —“

“Yeah I know what you meant.” Robert thinks it over for a second and then shrugs. “Don’t think so. He’s just annoying about it.” 

“Who isn’t.”

Robert tilts his head and feels guilty suddenly, guilty that not everyone sees the fact that he likes blokes sometimes. Aaron didn’t think so on that stupid date, people at work don’t either because he’s out with girls and occasionally in bed with boys. 

Aaron looks up, gulps hard and he tries to speak as softly as he can as he stares at Robert. He feels sorry for him, he feels it stick around his chest. “I sort of get if this is hard for you.”

Robert instantly puts a wall up. Aaron can see it. Robert can feel it. 

“Aaron ...”

“Especially ‘cause you’re not really ... open or whatever in real life so —“

“You don’t need to ...”

“I’m just letting you know that I understand.” Robert hears him say, he’s not looked this open before now, this willing. 

Robert doesn’t like it so he stands and leaves. “You don’t understand anything OK? So just drop it.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes and sighs hard after the door to their bedroom slams shut. 

—

“Great you’re back.” Is the first thing he hears when he gets home and it’s sort of like he’s entered a parallel universe as Aaron comes up towards him and tries to get his coat off. “How was your day?” 

Robert just stares at him until he feels Aaron kiss his cheek. He jumps back slightly and Aaron cringes before digging a hand into his shoulder.

“Go with it.” 

Robert goes to speak when he sees a woman sitting at their dining table. She’s waving a hand out, smiling like she’s known them for years. He has absolutely no idea what he’s supposed to say to her when she says hello.

“Uh ... hello.” Robert looks back at Aaron and he starts speaking.

“This is Lydia.” Aaron blurts out. “She bought round a pie.” He smiles faintly and the woman stands to shake Robert’s head.

“A lovely new pair of men on the street, I just had to come and wave my hand at ya.” She smiles, and then she waves her hand again before laughing.

The air is thick with absolutely nothing when Robert squeezes Aaron’s shoulder and says he needs a quick word. He practically drags him into the kitchen before scowling.

“Have you hit your head?” Robert snaps and Aaron rolls his eyes, tells him with his eyes to relax.

“I was coming back from a run and she saw me.”

“Why let her in?”

“What was I supposed to do?” Aaron asks, he has a hand on his hip. “She wouldn’t stop banging on and then she asked if we’d decorated yet.” 

They haven’t. Robert’s trying to put his robots around the place and it’s making Aaron want to hit him. 

Robert cringes when he hears Lydia ask about a piece of art.

“Just act natural.” Aaron hisses but acting natural usually involves him wanting to roll his eyes every time Aaron speaks.

They walk back into the room and Robert finds himself trying to make Lydia understand that the colours do work well in the artwork. 

Aaron disappears for way too long warming this steak pie up and comes back in with plates to dish it up. Suddenly they’re all sitting together and Lydia’s so at home it’s crazy. 

She’s a cleaner. She’s asking if they ever want to use her services than they can, then she laughs at how it sounds.

“Here’s me going on, you two must have lovely girl—“ the penny must drop when she looks at the wedding ring on their fingers. “Oh.” She smiles. “Gosh how lovely.” 

Aaron sips his beer. “Cheers.” He mumbles before she asks how long it’s been and he tries to flap around for an answer. It doesn’t really come, he just stares at Robert helplessly. 

Robert sort of hates how rubbish of a liar he is. He doesn’t know how he’s got this far. 

“Six months.” Robert decides.

“Newlyweds then.” Lydia smiles again, like her life depends on how wide it is. 

“Yeah.” Aaron scratches his head. “I mean before that we were ... together for three years.” He shrugs out, almost like he’s just thought of the number.

“Love at first sight?” 

Aaron scoffs and Robert kicks him under the table. “He was besotted by me.” Robert smiles. “Like he kept following me around, asking me for my number. All sorts.”

Aaron grits his teeth as Lydia laughs. “Yeah well it was only because I felt sorry for him. He doesn’t really have a way with ... men.” 

Robert gulps hard around his words and shoots Aaron a look before laughing bitterly.

“Yeah. Aaron’s really ... _something_. It’s really weird how he never had any real relationships before me.” Robert smirks as he looks at Aaron. “Isn’t it ... love?”

“Well I didn’t put it about as much as you did. Honey.” Aaron looks like he wants to murder him, only Lydia is laughing.

“How married are you to eh?” She says, and it doesn’t make any sense.

Robert leans away from Aaron and tries to smile.

“When you know you know.” Robert says before stabbing at the pie and looking up at Lydia. 

“I love wedding’s. Where did you get married?” 

Aaron has a mouthful as he shrugs. “The beach.” Like it’s any place special. He’s ridiculous. “Yeah uh ... Camber Sands.”

“Have you got any photos?”

Aaron’s eyes widen. He’s mouth falls open and then closes again as he eats the food still in his mouth. He’s such a catch. 

“Uh.” Robert scratches his head. “You know what ...”

“Yeah we —“ Aaron is an idiot, it’s as simple as that really. “We just haven’t taken them out yet.”

“Oh.” Lydia looks deflated a little and then Aaron says he’ll have to go look. Robert wants to sigh hard and call Aaron a prat but instead he just smiles.

Aaron goes to stand, goes to walk through the house like he’s searching for Narnia and then Lydia’s phone goes.

“Oh. This is my step son.” She says. “He needs picking —“

“Don’t let us stop you.” Robert stands, he’s already searching for her stupid purple coat. “Here. It’s fine.” He says when she tries to apologise.

Aaron comes running from the bedroom looking pale and he only waves a hand out when she says she’ll have to come back and see the photos. 

The door closes abruptly and Robert turns towards Aaron.

“OK before you say ... anything ...” Aaron waves a hand up towards Robert.

“You figure this out.” Robert says as he pushes past Aaron. 

—

Aaron kisses him on his cheek as he gets into his car and he jumps back against it. He doesn’t expect it and he rubs at his cheek until Aaron calls him a pillock and tells him to look across the road. 

Joe’s standing there with his briefcase shutting his door and getting to his car. 

“Well you could have warned me.” Robert says, flattens our his tie and looks away. 

“I didn’t just try and stick my tongue down your throat. Or something else of mine.” Aaron laughs at his own joke and then Robert shakes his head, flinches. 

He sees Aaron soften slightly. 

“Hey I didn’t ...” 

“Bye.” Robert turns the engine on and drives. 

—

He needs to get a grip, needs to place things in boxes and not sit idly thinking about who he is and what it means.

He’s on a case.

He needs to concentrate on that and absolutely nothing else.

His ring is silver and shiny, thick against his finger as he plays with it for the briefest of seconds. 

He’s on a fucking case. 

—

“You’re such an _idiot_.” Aaron shouts, he’s face down in the sand because Robert doesn’t know how to walk properly apparently. 

Robert rolls his eyes. “Oh I’m sorry. It’s just I’m carrying a camera and a blanket and —“

“Just shut up.” Aaron snaps.

Robert tries stepping through the sand with his shoes on and he fights a smirk when Aaron stands, brushes off the sand from his suit.

“This is ruined.” Aaron says. “And we rented them.”

“Well it’ll make it look authentic, we had a fumble in the sand before we took our wedding pictures.”

“In front of the guests.” Aaron pulls a face.

“We’re kinky bastards.” Robert says before stopping. “Hang on. Where’s Adam?”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “He’s on his way.” He says, he tries to get his phone out and it falls on the sand. “For fuck’s sake.”

“Don’t go doing that.” Robert says. Aaron frowns up at him. “Complaining about where we are. This was all your doing. Why couldn’t you have just said a registry office, or a _church_.”

“It’s the first place I thought of.” Aaron shouts, the wind’s really picking up now and Robert hardly hears him.

“Why? It’s shit.”

Aaron looks all offended. “I used to come here as a kid actually.”

Robert smirks. “Bet you were one of those kids who collected the little rocks.”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Fossils.” He says. Robert smirks and he shakes his head. “Fuck off.” He snaps. 

“Well I’m sorry for —“

“Yes lads!” Adam’s stupid booming voice is everywhere and Robert’s just grateful that there’s no one else about. “Aww, I’m getting emotional.” He practically runs up towards them and pats Aaron hard on the back. 

“Piss off.”

“No seriously.” Adam says. “You both look well good.”

In reality, Aaron doesn’t actually look that bad at all. Robert’s telling himself it’s only because he never ever wears suits so it’s a welcomed surprise. 

“Cheers.” Robert mumbles before turning towards the sea. “Right can you get on with this because the tide’s coming in soon.”

Adam takes the camera and laughs. “I don’t get why you couldn’t just say they were still in the post.”

“You don’t know Lydia.”

“Yeah, she thinks she’s our marriage guardian angel or something.” Robert pulls a face. “And that Bernice.” He shudders slightly as he thinks about bumping into her on the way home. She’d said something about counselling also being available for the LGBTQ community. 

It made him think that she suspected something but then she said she’d never seen a more fitting couple so he knew she was talking shit.

Adam just smiles at them like a loon.

“This is mint.”

“It is _not_.” Aaron says, but he goes to stand next to Robert anyway. He sighs hard and Robert tells him to stop looking so angry.

“He’s right. Happiest day of your life is this.” Adam says, he holds the camera up and tells Robert to get closer. He leans in an inch and so does Aaron. “Alright. Smile then!”

It comes naturally to Robert, he’s got a small grin on his face that doesn’t meet his eyes but Aaron just looks like someone’s going to kill him if he doesn’t cooperate.

“Aaron. Hand on his waist. Something.” Adam shouts and Aaron blushes bright red when Robert does it instead. Robert surprises himself really, he’s keeping all of that personal shit stored away and focusing on this case. 

Adam takes a few pictures before he goes and makes everything even more awkward by telling them to kiss.

Aaron is still bright red and he isn’t saying anything so Robert makes absolutely no move to get any closer. Instead he just presses a kiss to his temple and holds Aaron by the waist a little tighter.

Adam takes another and then Aaron looks up at him. He doesn’t look annoyed, doesn’t look pleased either but Robert smiles. 

Aaron shakes his head and then leans up to kiss Robert before he pushes him away and swears. 

“The pissin’ tide.” Aaron shouts, his shoes are soaked through and Robert can’t help but laugh as he pushes at him to move so he can be out the way. 

He slips down into the sand. It’s like slush as he grapples for Robert to help him up. 

For a second Robert just calls him a dick and let’s Aaron reach out for his hand. 

“Oi. Now kiss.” 

Robert looks up, remembers that Adam’s still here being Adam and he blushes hard. 

“Help me up.” Aaron says instead.

“Only if you ...”

Aaron rolls his eyes before kissing Robert hard. He just sort of presses his face towards Robert’s and then Robert holds Aaron’s face as he leans in to kiss him back.

“That’s a wrap.” Adam shouts, and it’s not like he’s ruining any magical moment but Robert pulls away abruptly and Aaron’s nose brushes against his for a second as he stares into his eyes.

He smiles a little.

“Now help me up.” Aaron says, face a little pinker. 

Robert nods. “Come on then Suggle.” He says.

He doesn’t say anything else really, just lets Adam and Aaron be stupid mates all the way home.

Aaron looks back at him a few times. He even looks like he’s smiling a little.

Robert doesn’t dwell on things all that much. He doesn’t like to.

Not how the duvet doesn’t exist between them tonight, or the way Aaron’s actually said goodnight to him, or even the fact that Aaron isn’t a bad kisser at all.

—

Aaron’s hanging the pictures up when Robert gets home. He watches him for a second before Aaron sees him and actually smiles.

“Lydia loves them.” Aaron says. She stayed for a cup of tea and went on about polishing the sofa with special wipes so that the dust doesn’t get too caught. Aaron nodded and pretended like he didn’t want the world to swallow him whole.

“Does she now?” Robert tilts his head and crosses his arms over. “Well we can all rest at night then can’t we?”

Aaron rolls his eyes and stares at one of the pictures. “Was quite a laugh.” He worries his bottom lip with his tongue and Robert sees his teeth. 

He’s looking up at the pictures and actually has a ghost on his face. It’s there, Robert sees it and he can see it in the pictures too. The one in the middle shows Aaron looking up at Robert and laughing. It catches something in Robert’s throat. 

“Maybe you’re not an idiot _all_ the time.” He stutters out, embarrassed almost.

Aaron wriggles his eyebrow. “Wouldn’t go that far.”

“Don’t be so mean about yourself.” 

“I meant about —“ Aaron rolls his eyes again.

“They’ll get stuck up there if you keep doing that.” Robert calls out as he goes to the kitchen.

—

Lawrence is asking questions and Robert doesn’t have a lot of answers just yet. 

He’s sitting on their sofa tapping his foot against the floor and waiting for Robert to get his words out about Tom. He doesn’t have a lot to say. 

“See you’ve decorated.” Lawrence points to the ‘wedding’ pictures and his jaw tightens. “Your priorities are certainly in order.”

“Neighbours asked.” Aaron intervenes before sighing. “Listen we’ve got Robert in the accounts and I’m working on what’s going on abroad.”

Lawrence just sort of stares at him. “And?”

Aaron looks like he’s trying not to roll his eyes. “I’m contacting a mate, he’s going to check out if anything is odd with his businesses.” 

Lawrence doesn’t look impressed in the slightest. He just stares back at Robert. 

“I’ll be back in a week. I want results Robert.” 

And it feels a lot like a threat. 

Maybe Robert ups the ante just slightly but Lawrence holds his future in his old crinkly hands. 

He doesn’t want to disappoint, so that means he flirts his way into spending a few hours behind with a colleague after everyone else has gone home.

He can’t exactly remember her name but she’s twisting her hair around her finger and laughing whenever he speaks so it doesn’t really matter. All that does matter is the fact that she’s been working here for nearly three years.

“So you live opposite Mr Waterhouse?” She says, she leans back on the chair and he nods. He isn’t going to tell her who with, the stupid wedding ring has already slid off his finger and is his pocket. “Must be rough.”

“Rough, why?” Robert sits up slightly and she goes all shy, blushes slightly red like she shouldn’t be talking. 

“He’s a bit ... intense.” Robert frowns at her. “He’s hardly neighbourly.”

“Fair point. Who is these days?”

“True.” She says. “But he’s just ... I wouldn’t want to live opposite him.” He leans closer towards her.

“You going to tell me why?” Robert’s head dips towards hers and she smiles.

“He’s too mysterious. God knows what he gets up to.” 

Robert’s eyes flicker agains it.

—

Aaron’s eating a curry and watching shit tv when Robert finally gets home. He’s got a smug look on his face because he’s actually done a good job, although Aaron’s hardly fazed.

“Well thanks for the support.” Robert folds his arms and shakes his head. He’s not disappointed but Aaron’s so hot and cold sometimes and he still hates it.

Aaron looks up at him. “So we know he’s mysterious.” He shrugs. “What do you want me to say?”

“It’s that _house_.” Robert sits next to him and shakes his head again. “He’s hiding something there.”

Aaron frowns a little, blinking as he does. “Yeah like what?”

“I don’t know.” Robert shrugs. “Could be everything we’ve been looking for.” He runs his hand over his thigh and then stops when he sees Aaron looking at him. “What?”

“Your ring.” Aaron has a mouthful of food as he speaks. 

Robert raises an eyebrow and retrieves it from his pocket. “Oh.” He says before holding it up. 

“Thought you said you found out all that mysterious stuff on your own?” He literally lied about five minutes ago, didn’t want to include anything else for a reason he doesn’t really know.

Robert just sighs unevenly. “Maybe I had help.” He says. “I caught her off guard and she —“

Aaron begins shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I’m doing this for the case. Why do you care so ...”

“Everyone’s supposed to think we’re _married_.” Aaron reminds him, like he’s thick. 

Robert rolls his eyes. “It’s one person.” He says.

Aaron stabs at his bowl. “A woman.”

“You hate women or something?”

“No.” Aaron shouts. “But I hate you ruining our cover.”

“How? I could be ... you know ... I could like both in this ... alternate reality we have to live in.” Robert waves a hand out and his head feels fuzzy. He doesn’t even know why he’s brought this up. 

“Thought you did already.” Aaron pulls a face and Robert’s eyes flicker. He feels himself panicking against the way Aaron’s staring at him. 

Judging him. 

He looks confused. Everyone’s always confused about that bit of him.

“I don’t know — why do you care?” Robert whispers, and then he looks up. “It’s like you’re always trying to catch me out.”

“I’m not. Look, I’ve been there.” Aaron turns towards Robert. “Copping off with girls ‘cause I think it makes me less gay. I thought that’s what ...”

“I’m not gay.”

“OK. You’re bisexual.” Aaron says, and it just makes Robert stand up and turn to leave. Aaron holds at his arm for a second and he feels so embarrassed it’s ridiculous. He’s older than Aaron is, going on nearly five years older actually and yet he’s got it all figured out. 

He knows himself inside out. He’s comfortable with himself inside fucking out.

“Don’t — say that.” Robert pushes out.

“Why not?”

“I don’t like ... labels.” Robert says, and it’s a big thing to say considering he used to only use one. Straight. 

“Is this because of what happened with ...”

Robert goes bright red. The panic rushes right through him. “And I don’t need _you_ trying to help me.”

Aaron lets go of Robert’s arm slowly. “You don’t want to like blokes is that it?” He wont fucking stop, it’s like he knows he’s on to something now. He’s got the ball well and truly rolling. “Or you don’t want to _be_ with them when you’re not both horizontal.”

“OK enough Freud.” Robert turns away and Aaron stands too, Robert almost can’t look away from him for some weird reason. 

Aaron looks like he’s going to say something and then he doesn’t. He just stares at Robert and then at his chest, his mouth, his eyes. Then he moves away. 

“You’ve got lipstick on your shirt.” He says before he turns towards the kitchen.

—

“You’ve ruined the whole thing.” Lawrence is rubbing at his temple and telling Robert to go.

And then his dad is waiting outside his door with a hand over a large leather bag.

He hasn’t seen him for years. He’s shorter, back more crooked than he remembers.

He’s saying that he’s brought him the last of his things from home. He says he doesn’t know where he went wrong but he’s never been more ashamed of him.

Robert’s head dips and it’s hard to speak but he tries. “I’m good at what I do.” His chin wobbles a little. “I am, dad, I am.”

“You were nearly struck off ‘cause you couldn’t keep it in your pants.” Jack’s voice is the most booming thing Robert’s ever heard. He feels like he’s fifteen again as he cowers.

Jack kicks the bag towards him and sighs.

“I didn’t mean to ... I can’t help that ...”

Jack silences him with one look.

“Everyone has choices Robert. You choose to lie, and hurt people, and lie some more.”

He doesn’t know who he’s really hurt except for his dad, and that makes him want to cry. 

“I’m sorr—“

“Maybe you are.” Jack says, and then he goes. 

—

Aaron’s incapable of putting things exactly where they should be and it’s the most ridiculous thing Robert’s ever had to deal with.

He’s got his stupid trainers by the door and he’s thrown his jacket on the kitchen floor, close enough to the washing machine but also not close enough.

He steps over it and then kicks it out of the way just in time for Aaron to step out from the bedroom.

“Oi. That’s mine that.”

Robert can’t actually believe it. “It’s on the floor.”

Aaron comes closer and picks it up. “Yeah and now it’s got your work shoes all over it. You know you should take them off by the door.”

Robert turns with a hand on his hip and something throbbing in his head. “On the rack.”

“What?”

Robert stomps towards the door. “This.” He holds up the small wooden rack he’d bought after the twelfth time he trod on Aaron’s shoes. “It’s where you put your shoes in.”

Aaron just shrugs, “Mine don’t fit.”

“Well _make_ them fit.”

“I’m not creasing my shoes up just for your benefit.” Aaron says, he takes his coat and puts it on the back of the sofa.

Robert wants to throttle him.

“See _that_ goes on the hook.” Robert says. He points to the stand near the door. “Are you incapable of —“

“Oh piss off, it’s just a coat.”

“No. It’s you. Being a slob.” Robert fires. “Were you raised in a barn?”

“Says the failed farm boy!” Aaron shouts, and his face is red all over as he turns and heads back to the bedroom. 

He slams the door so much harder than he needs to and it only gets someone knocking on the door ten minutes later.

Of course it’s Lydia.

“Oh. Hello love. Is everything alright?”

He doesn’t understand what she means until she mentions shouting and Robert turns to see Aaron coming to the door looking embarrassed.

“Oh we’re fine.” Robert says.

“Well that’s good to know, thought you were —“

“Sex.” Aaron blurts out. His eyes are wide and blue and Robert wants to die. “Yeah. Just ... sex.”

Lydia’s eyes bulge and she looks away. “Righty O.” 

“Yeah you know ...” Robert’s hand falls awkwardly over Aaron’s waist. “Just so ... passionate aren’t we?”

Aaron rolls his eyes for a second before smiling at Lydia. “Yes.” He says slowly. 

“Well to be young and in love.” Lydia’s blushing but she still clasps her hands together and smiles before turning away.

“Exactly.” Robert says, watching her leave before he feels Aaron push at his shoulder. “Wait until she’s around the corner at least.” He says as Aaron turns away and Robert closes the door. 

Aaron just rolls his eyes again.

“You know we need to actually _try_ and make out that we like each other.” Robert says. “You slamming doors every fine I ask you to do something isn’t working.”

“You’re not my dad.” Aaron says. 

“I’m aware of that.” Robert says. “But we’re meant to be a team or whatever.” Aaron pulls a face. “Yeah I know. It’s gross.”

“You’re gross.”

“You’re five.”

“And your pretend husband.” Aaron says, but his face isn’t filled with anger anymore. He picks up his coat and hangs it on the stupid thing before turning back around. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic.”

—

Robert’s laying on the bed with a cloth over his forehead and trying to think about anything other than the case, Aaron, having to be married to a bloke. Even if it’s pretend. 

The bed dips though and he blinks against the cloth to see Aaron sitting there.

“You having tea?” Robert hears him say. He just shrugs his shoulders. “Bad day?”

It wasn’t _bad_. Vic text for the first time in a year and said she wants to see him. That actually happened. Everything else stopped around him after that.

She’s where she is for a reason and they haven’t spoken for the same reason. They’re different, miles of differences stretch between them and it’s all he ever brings himself to really think about. 

He feels Aaron push his arm and the cloth falls.

“Just got a headache.” Robert says. He searches the look on Aaron’s face and sees that it’s worry. “Haven’t got any further with anything.”

Aaron folds his arms over and sighs. “We’ll get there.” He says. “He’s in our sights ain’t he.” 

Robert nods his head and it feels weird, the way Aaron’s almost comforting him, making him feel better.

Aaron hovers a hand over Robert’s knee and then he itches the back of his head. 

“What you made for dinner then?” Robert asks, shifting the attention and Aaron pulls a face.

“Beans. On toast.”

“Wow, on toast. You’re pushing the ...”

“You want some or not?” Aaron asks. Robert catches sight of his wedding ring and then looks up at him again. He nods.

—

Tom leaves his office door wide open most days, almost like he knows no one will ever dare try and enter. He’s annoying like that and it only peaks Robert’s interest.

“You looking for trouble?” He turns to see the woman he’s been flirting with for a few days now smiling at him. He blanks on a name again and she’s still smiling when he looks away from Tom’s office. 

“Looking for you. Fancy lunch?”

“I just had mine.” Robert hears her say. She crosses her arms over and the fluffy pink top she’s wearing sheds. 

He goes to speak when someone calls out for her. The name’s Tracy.

He repeats it to himself as she goes and he looks back at the office. It only takes a second for him to slip in but his heart races. The door is stupidly glass panelled which roughly translates to: anyone can walk in. 

He leans against the wall and then stares up towards a bookshelf. There’s a bunch of envelopes hidden between books, large black unassuming ones with letters written on them. The envelopes only stick out when you stare and he does. 

He goes to reach out, leans back and then he feels something vibrate in his jeans. He takes out his phones and then sees another text from Vic. 

A follow up one. She’s saying it’s been too long. She’s asking him to answer her.

His phone slips out of his hand and he picks it up hastily before darting out of the room.

—

He’s got another headache and he can’t get passed it so he goes home early and is only welcomed to a note on the fridge.

‘Out spying. Back later.’ 

It’s all it says. Aaron’s officially lost it.

He tries calling him twice and doesn’t get anything back so he decides to stare at the texts from Vic instead. Strictly speaking, he isn’t allowed to speak to anyone when he’s on a case. Family members aren’t meant to know a thing and it’s good that Vic doesn’t because she’d only ask questions.

They’d probably revolve around when the fuck he decided he was gay. Gay enough to marry another bloke anyway. The feeling stretches through him as he sits there, plays with his phone back and forth in his hands.

He thinks for a second too long and then he gets up, grabs for his coat and decides to find someone to take his mind off of it. He turns his phone off and leaves a note for Aaron.

‘ Off out for a good time. Don’t be a jealous husband. ‘ 

He’s out the door and nearly down the end of the road when he happen to look up towards Tom’s house. He sees someone moving from the upstairs window and then freezes when he recognises the stupid black hoodie. His face falls with it, the way he’s being such an idiot. He wonders how Aaron passed all the courses so young, who he had to sleep with to get here. 

He looks down the end of the road, thinks about leaving him to it and finally getting some happiness elsewhere. Then he sighs hard before, thinks different before turning back and marching towards Tom’s. It’s easy to get in, Aaron’s not left the door wide open but he can easily pick at the lock again and slide in. 

He sees him there, squatting over a chest of drawers and shaking his head like he’s not finding anything.

“Are you _flipping_ stupid?” Robert shouts. It’s meant to scare Aaron and it does, he basically falls flat on his arse. He nearly hits his head too and Robert just stares over him with a hand on her hip. 

“Fuckin’ hell.” Aaron snaps, he looks up with wide blue eyes and Robert shakes his head again. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Robert walks closer towards him and Aaron stands awkwardly. “You’re insane.”

“He’s not home.”

“Oh.” Robert steps back. “Oh I’m so sorry for jumping to conclusions. Let me leave you to it.” He waves a hand out and Aaron believes him for half a second. “Aaron!” He yanks his arm and Aaron shoves him off. 

“You said it was something in the house didn’t you?” Aaron says, he turns towards the bed and then lifts up the mattress like he’s the incredible hulk. Robert twitches slightly because of it and then he runs a hand across his face. 

“He could be back any second.” 

“Or he couldn’t.” Aaron shrugs, he fishes a hand out to see if there’s anything under the mattress and then sighs. “So are you just going to stand there or ...”

Aaron slumps the mattress back down and then looks up towards the wardrobe and back at Robert. “Well I can’t reach.” He says.

Robert thinks he needs his head seeing to but he reaches up anyway. There’s a thick leather briefcase up there and Robert tries to bring it down as quickly as he can. 

He heaved for a second before it falls down on the floor in a heap.

“Talk about subtle.”

“Oh sorry. The whole wearing all black thing didn’t cross my mind. You’ve really done a great —“

“Oh just shut up! At least I’m doing something. You’re clearly stuck in your own head but ...”

Robert feels heat rising through his face. He didn’t think it was obvious, he didn’t think Aaron would ever fucking notice.

He breathes in and then Aaron’s trying to say something else but Robert waves a hand out in front of him and he can feel the sound of a car pulling up.

“What the fuck ...” Aaron turns around slowly and peers out of the window. “It’s Priya and him.”

Robert runs a hand across his face again. “You’ve ruined it.”

“I ain’t ruined anything.” Aaron says. “We can just say ... that we ... someone has broken in.” He goes to grab a vase and Robert wants to hit him but he doesn’t. 

Instead he grabs at his shoulders and pushes him into the wardrobe. Robert’s got broad shoulders and Aaron turns pink as he sees Robert tilt his head towards him.

“This is stupid.” Aaron whispers, a hand pushing through his hair and making Robert sigh. He’s taller, so his legs stick out awkwardly and Aaron has to crouch even further.

“Well you’re the one who ...”

Aaron goes to speak but then feels a hand across his mouth and it’s Robert’s freakishly large one. His eyes widen against it and then Tom’s in the room.

“If you think I’m running scared than I’m not.” 

Robert frowns against his words and then Priya’s saying something. Her voice is quieter but he can make out her telling him to be careful.

“I always am.” Tom says, and then he’s disappearing again. “They don’t have a clue. The investors like it that way and so do I.” It’s like he can’t even try to be anymore cryptic.

Robert looks at Aaron and slowly removes his hand before feeling Aaron push at his chest. He holds his hands in place for a second as Robert stares at him before Tom’s footsteps are gone.

They wait at least thirty seconds before the front door is being closed shut and Aaron dips out to see no one around. He makes a point of grabbing for Robert’s arm and holding at him as they go back the stairs in silence.

Aaron’s mapped the place out, tilts his head down past the kitchen and sees the back door. They’re out quickly and Robert can only breathe again when they’ve circled the street and are back on the main road.

“Don’t ever do that again.” Robert feels like he’s telling off a three year old. He might as well be. 

Aaron sticks his hands in his pockets and takes his hoodie off as he slouches down the road. “I was doing my job.”

“Oh is that what it was. Just looked like some crazy kid trying to break into someone’s house.”

“Trying and succeeding.” Aaron points out. “It was more than you did anyway.” He says.

“If I hadn’t been there ...”

“I would have been just fine.” Aaron shakes his head and sighs. “That suitcase. There was _something_ about that suitcase and ...” He scowls up at Robert. “If you hadn’t been there then I wouldn’t have been distracted. I only needed another ten seconds.”

Robert rolls his eyes and then fishes his keys out as they get to the front door. Aaron has other ideas though, he stares up at Tom’s with wide angry eyes.

“Let it go for now.” Robert says. He needs a paracetamol and a glass of water and a fucking early night considering how fast his heart rate went when he heard the car pull up. He’s too old to be craning his neck in wardrobes. 

Aaron turns his neck. “You’re the one who said we ain’t getting no where.” 

“Well yeah but ...”

“I did it for you.” Aaron makes the point of saying, he twists his body around and Robert’s eyes flicker. He doesn’t know what to say back.

“It’s ... both of us on this ... case.”

“You were moping about no progress. Thought I’d cheer you up.” Robert feels the corners of his mouth lift and Aaron’s got a slight blush on his cheeks now. He’s embarrassed, or nervous, or just annoyed. Aaron can’t put his finger on it, he doesn’t want to. Robert isn’t even trying to understand what’s going on in his head.

“Yeah well it nearly gave me a heartache.” Robert says, kicking the ground like a little boy. When he looks up Aaron is rolling his eyes as per usual. “What?”

“You’re so ungrateful.” Aaron says. He walks into Robert’s space. “You’ve been a miserable bastard so I try and get the ball rolling a little and you act like this.” He has a hand out of his precious pockets as he speaks and then he looks back at Tom’s and starts pointing.

“That’s not how you do things Aaron. Do I really have to tell you ...”

“Oh yeah. I’m taking advice from _Robert_ _Sugden_ on the correct conduct.” 

It hits a nerve just in the worst place and Robert’s eyes flicker as he sees _his_ face. Aaron always seems to go there. He doesn’t even know what he knows, maybe just the same as everyone else, he’s lied and fucked someone over for this job.

He probably doesn’t know about the other bits. Maybe he does. Robert doesn’t want him to. 

“Fine. Do what you like.” 

Aaron goes to turn back towards  Tom’s and Robert realises that he’s actually the stupidest man on the planet. 

He yanks his arm and then his eyes widen as Tom appears from around the corner. He strides towards his own house and then observes the way Aaron and Robert are standing. Scowling at each other. 

Robert’s holding at his arm and his eyes are still wide and green and Aaron just frowns at him. He looks back towards Tom’s, up at the bedroom and stares before seeing him standing there. 

“Shit.” Aaron spins back. “Kiss me.”

“You what?”

“I said ...” Aaron sighs before he pins Robert against the wall and kisses him, opened mouth and frantic. Robert’s hands have a life of their own after a few seconds and they fall through Aaron’s hair.

It feels weird. It’s just a kiss and he knows exactly why it’s happening but it doesn’t make anything in his jeans feel any less restricted.

He isn’t sure if it’s in his head or not but Aaron makes this sound, presses closer and Robert’s holding his face gingerly before Aaron pulls back.

“He gone?” Robert stutters out, hands falling to his sides again as he pants.

Aaron’s holding his shirt, Robert didn’t even realise until now and he lets it go slowly before his eyes turn and he sees Tom shutting the door to his. 

“Coast is clear.” Aaron says, like a geek. He bites down on his bottom lip nervously and stops straining on his tip toes. He leans away and stares at Robert’s lips again. His mouth mainly. That whole area really.

Robert notices how red Aaron’s lips are.

“Sorry if it was a bit ... hard.” Aaron says. Robert touches his mouth for a second, wonders if they look as bruised as Aaron’s. 

Robert’s ears are pink and he tilts his head. “Not had plenty of practice?” He whispers.

Aaron rolls his eyes again. It’s really his favourite thing to do then. 

“Maybe more than you.” Aaron says, he crosses his arms over. “Not bad though.” He says. His eyes flicker. They’re really blue. 

And he’s still an idiot who thinks breaking into people’s houses at five in the afternoon constitutes spying. 

—

The office is on the top floor of a pretentious high rise building and Robert is based in the corner of said floor with nothing but a tiny fan to relieve him in the heat. He’s sat next to someone called Jimmy who he’s grown to loathe and pity at the exact same time.

He’s older than he is by a country mile and gets food on his tie a lot more than a grown man should but he’s harmless in a nice way. He’s also completely under the thumb and Robert enjoys the calls he gets from his wife demanding him to be home earlier and earlier every day. One time she basically told him all the things she’d do to him if he hurried up and Robert wanted to die. It involved rope. 

Now, he’s staring at his computer and looking back at Robert every now and again.

“Robert.” He says, he sits further back on his chair and Robert entertains his nonsense by nodding at him. “Thought you said you were married.” 

The heat sort of rises through his face and he frowns. “I am.” He says, he even makes the point of flashing the ugly ring in Jimmy’s direction.

“So he don’t mind the whole no photo’s on the desk thing?” Robert’s shoulder slump down again and he remembers Jimmy’s wife complaining about the lack of a sexy photo of her. He has his snotty kids out on display and she’s sort of cut out of the frame slightly. It should be enough but obviously it isn’t if she’s asking and _he’s_ asking. 

“Nah.” Robert shrugs. “But blokes are different aren’t they? He doesn’t even know I have a desk.” 

Jimmy smiles. “Oh. You’re lucky. Must be so easy being with a bloke.” He says.

Robert raises an eyebrow. “Why, you on the turn?”

Jimmy turns bright red and then he stares back at his computer. He mumbles something about just thinking out loud and Robert shakes his head against it.

He brings out his phone a few minutes later and finds Aaron’s number.

_Need a quick photo of your ugly mug for work_

He waits for second. 

_Uh 1 why and 2 not ugly mate_

Robert rolls his eyes and plays with his tie before typing out a reply for Aaron.

_Meant to be married and there’s not one pic of you on my desk_

He puts his phone back down on the side as he waits and then picks it up again when Aaron sends him one of him pulling a stupid face. He looks about twelve.

_OK. Hilarious. A current one please. Preferably one where you aren’t pulling a face_

It must be a difficult thing to ask for because Aaron doesn’t reply until at least ten minutes later. He’s wearing a dark green jumper and he’s clearly cut Adam out of the picture but at least he’s smiling. He’s got that thick gel running through his hair too but he isn’t rolling his eyes or scowling so that’s something. 

Robert bites his lip against the picture and then his thumb hovers over it before he gets another one. This one is better. Aaron’s laughing but he’s clearly caught off guard by the picture being taken, it makes him look happy.

_Found this one buried too. Anything else for u husband? _

Robert blinks quickly as he drags his fingers over the picture to make it bigger.

_Yeah. Take the steak out of the freezer for tea tonight_

Robert sends the message before Jimmy makes this really weird noise next to him and he has to look up and frown. 

“Aaron is it?” Jimmy says, he’s like a giant teddy bear as he smiles. Robert nods hesitantly. “All smiles now.” He says. 

Robert isn’t a smiley person, he’s a smug person but he doesn’t feel remotely like that now. His eyelids feel heavy as they flutter and he chooses to ignore him. 

_Not eating, out on the pull soz_

Robert breathes out hard. 

—

The picture is in a shitty frame from Argos but it serves the purpose. Tracy walks past and seems caught off guard by it which is slightly irritating but she doesn’t give him stick for it or anything. Robert’s not even really realised that he’s screwed up that avenue until Tracy gives him a look across the lift. 

He sort of wants to kick himself over it but there’s not a lot he can do about it now anyway. It’s there and he’s meant to be all out and proud. He wonders if he should ask work for a rainbow lanyard just to really hammer home who he’s meant to be. 

The accounts are pissing boring and aren’t given anything away over whatever Tom’s been up to. It’s obviously too obvious and Robert’s sick of it. 

He’s in the men’s on his phone playing Roller Splat and trying to see if he can stretch this out until his lunch break. He’s only got ten minutes left when the door opens and he hears the sound of shoes against the tiles. 

“It’s me.” Robert would love to know who’s speaking but the voice is hardly there really and he has to stand up straighter to listen. He’s flat up against the stall by the time the voice becomes clearer. He sees a robot in his mind and recognises the slow drawn out gravel. “Everything is going perfectly. He doesn’t suspect anything.” There’s this long pause, it’s abrupt and Robert frowns against it. “Like I’d let him. He still thinks he’s in control of the money.”

The money. Robert thinks back to the suitcase, wonders if that’s what he’s on about. Then those envelopes stretch further across his mind too. 

“When the time is right ... the time will be right.” Graham’s voice gets lower and Robert didn’t think it could. “I mean it Kim. He doesn’t get hurt in this. Not physically anyway.”

The door to the gents opens and Robert hears Graham end the call before heading out. The person who’s walked in is Jimmy, he can tell just by the way he’s sighing. 

Perhaps he’s on cloud nine when he comes home but it feels like another massive win. He shuts the door with a smirk on his face and turns towards Aaron.

“Kim.” Robert says. “Who’s that you ask?”

Aaron’s buried in documents, has a slight frown on his face as he looks up towards Robert. He’s been doing this since noon and he’s not got anywhere, Tom’s everywhere and nowhere across his own business. 

“Who’s that I ask.” Aaron mumbles, he sits back on the sofa as Robert starts speaking animatedly about what level he is on Roller Splat since hiding out in the loos. “Robert. Get to the point.”

“I heard Graham on the phone to someone called _Kim_.” Robert tells him, he starts pacing the room and then sits on the coffee table. “He’s in it with her.”

“In where?”

Robert waves a hand helplessly between the both of them and it hits Aaron’s knee. He blinks his eyes open and then he shuts them again before sitting up. 

“Oh.” Aaron says. “And Tom?”

“In the dark. Well at least I think so. He didn’t mention his exact name but ...”

Aaron pulls a face.

“Hang on. It’s something.” Robert says, eyes flickering as he crosses his arms over. “We’ve thought Graham’s just been this odd puppet around the office and he isn’t.” 

Aaron chews on his lip for a second and then brings a hand up to his face, tilts his head. “So ... Kim what?” 

“What?” 

“Kim. She have a last name?” Robert looks away and Aaron laughs almost bitterly. “You said ...”

“I was in the loo.” Robert says. “I’ll find it though.”

Aaron rolls his eyes and itches the back of his neck before holding up a file he’s made on Graham. He’s ex army, mysterious, no family and a small tattoo on his shoulder. No one called Kim has been around since now and Robert’s sure it’s a breakthrough.

“Leave it with me.” Aaron says as he leans back against the sofa. “And get me a beer will ya? I’ve been hard at work here.” 

—

Robert can’t see Tom from where his desk is in the office but he has a few wanders and manages to catch him getting coffee. Priya’s with him, she seems to be going through a checklist and he isn’t listening. 

Robert slides in, throws him a smile as Priya finishes up and gives him these eyes. She fancies him, she must. The thought runs through him as she spins away and he’s left standing next to Tom.

“Busy day boss?”

Tom nods. “Could say that. Back to back meetings.” He sighs, keeps pouring coffee until it reaches the top of his mug and he brings it to his lips. “So, how’s the rainbow household?” 

Robert’s eyes flicker against just how much of arse Tom looks with that grin on his face. He turns his head slightly and Robert shrugs it off as nothing. He says that Aaron’s fine, that work is keeping him busy. Tom seems to eye him up though.

“Saw you two going at it the other day.” Robert knows exactly what he’s on about, he can still remember how hard Aaron kissed him against that fence. He smiles shyly. 

“Hardly what you want your boss to see.” Robert teases, and it makes Tom laugh. 

“Hmm.” Tom looks at Robert before turning away and then tilting his head back around again. “A drink at mine tonight if you’re up for it. Perhaps it’s time I got to know my neighbour and employer.”

Robert nods readily. 

He’s wearing a mike, a small fuzzy thing situated right underneath his tie. Robert stretches a hand across his shirt and looks at himself in the mirror whilst Aaron kicks his legs about off the bed. 

He’s laughing at him. “You look nervous.” Aaron bites his nails and then stops. “You getting rusty?”

Robert turns and looks over at Aaron. He’s wearing a heavy red jumper in this heat and he doesn’t know what’s up with him but he doesn’t seem fazed by it so he carries on scowling at him. “You’re supposed to be bigging me up.” He hasn’t done this in a while, worn a mike and really gone undercover like this. He has flashbacks of things he’d rather not speak about. “Not taking the piss.”

Aaron stands with a huff and then smooths a hand across Robert’s shoulder. It feels so kind that Robert just frowns at him through the mirror in front of them. “Knock ‘em dead husband. That better?”

Robert’s eats a little pinker for it. He wonders if Aaron’s ever going to be real with him for a single second. 

“Cheers.” Robert says. The walk across the road makes him feel nervous but he hides it in favour of holding a cheap bottle of red to his chest and smiling when Tom opens the door. “Alright?” He says hesitantly because Tom looks surprised to see him.

“Oh. Robert. Yeah come in.” He’s wearing gym equipment and Robert feels out of place until they’re sitting down with two glasses of scotch between them. He sips and tries to avoid flattening his tie whilst Tom asks him questions. 

He’s prepared to answer them, he’s got a folder of his educational history, the firm he used to work at, when he moved to the area. It’s everything he needs really and he settles into the conversation enough to ask questions back.

Tom sits straighter for it, still panting slightly from whatever work out he’s been doing. “Uh ... came from money. Didn’t have to work my way up all that much.”

Robert nods. “Must be nice.”

“Oh it was. Didn’t have a real family there though, don’t know if it was worth it.”

“Graham seems to have known you for a long time.” Robert sees the way Tom’s eyes change, they’re suddenly full of suspicion and he tries to reign it in as much as he can. He backtracks, says he doesn’t really know all that much about him, about Graham. 

“It should he kept that way.” Tom says, “Very odd that you live so ... close to me also.”

Robert itches the side of his neck and smiles nervously. “You saying I couldn’t afford to?”

“Not on the wages I pay you ... no.” Tom leans up. “So what’s the story there?”

Aaron enters his head and it’s easy. “Aaron’s dad. Loaded.” He says, “Put some money forward for us whilst we get on our feet.” 

Tom seems to buy it and Robert lets him. He settles back into an easy flow of conversation, almost continuously daring to teeter over the edge and push at him for something. It gets like that until Tom’s disappearing on the phone and Robert’s on his own in the spacious living room.

The dark panelled walls stretch far and Robert stands to admire them. He presses a hand towards the wall and then stops to turn towards the bookshelf in the corner of the room.

There’s a picture of a little boy being held by a man, a woman with blonde hair standing next to them. He reaches out to touch it when he hears Tom coming back in. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Tom’s asking, he comes towards him and tells him to put the photo down. 

“I was just ...” Robert tries to speak but Tom gets in there first. He mentions family as he shouts, mentions how he doesn’t have the right to touch them, he mentions fucking _aunt_ Kim. “Tom I —“

“Mr Waterhouse I think.” 

And oh. He’s a bastard again. 

Robert sighs hard and shakes his head because Tom’s basically showing him the door and telling him to go. 

“I was just ...”

“Snooping.” 

And that’s going to go down well with Aaron and Lawrence isn’t it? To think he could avoid their wrath is laughable considering Lawrence White is sitting on the sofa as soon as he comes through the door.

“Well congratulations.” Lawrence stands slowly. “You’ve ruined it.”

“Ruined it?” Robert asks. “Aunt Kim.”

Aaron’s standing behind Lawrence and he almost smiles. “Yeah I heard that too and ...”

“That’s all we’re getting out of him now though isn’t it? Considering you’ve gone and been accused of snooping.” Lawrence sighs hard. “You’ve done exactly what you shouldn’t have.”

Robert can’t deal with the dramatics, he places a hand on his forehead and he sighs. “Listen ... I know it seems bad but I can easily —“

“He could be thinking all sorts.”

Robert frowns. “Like _what_? I’m a spy and this whole marriage is fake.” He points at Aaron who looks away. “Get real Lawrence.”

Only Lawrence comes towards him slowly. “This is starting to sound a lot like something I’ve heard before.” He says and Robert catches his breath against it. “And I believed you then. I trusted you then. But now I’m not going to stand back and let you try and sort it when you only make it worse.” 

Robert blinks quickly against it. 

“You’re staying out of his way.” Lawrence looks at Aaron. “Go and smooth it over when you can. Tell him what he wants to hear about your inept husband.” 

Aaron nods slowly, shows Lawrence out the back door before disappearing upstairs probably in search of something other than a black hoodie to wear. Robert stays where he is, yanks off the mike and watches it fall to the ground. 

He’s not fucking inept. 

—

Aaron breathes out deeply before knocking on the door. He doesn’t really expect Tom to answer so when Priya does and lets him in he’s on edge. He stands there in the hallway until Tom comes around the corner. 

“My husband’s put his foot in it apparently.” Aaron says easily, he sticks a hand in his pocket and Tom crosses his arms over. “Hope you’re not going to fire him for it.” He decides on saying.

Tom comes towards him. “That’s a bit drastic.” He says and Aaron breathes out. “Just won’t be inviting him round here again.”

“He’s a good bloke, just ... nosey.” Aaron says. He looks up at Tom who stays silent for a few minutes before he walks into the living room and tells Aaron to follow him. 

“Cheers.” Aaron says as Tom passes him a beer. He looks around the house and thinks about Robert at home, probably hating how he’s had to step in. 

He feels guilty which is weird.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Tom sits on his stupid leather chair and leans back. He’s a lot like Robert, annoyingly quite similar really. He’s just got more pompous hair and a fancier car.

Aaron chews his lip. “He feels bad for whatever he did. Just thought I’d try and smooth it over.” He says awkwardly before looking down at the beer. “This is nice.” He draws out his words and Tom raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t you have beer at home?”

“Robert’s a wine guy.”

Tom laughs. “Seems that way.” He plays with the beer bottle. “You know, you two don’t seem very well matched.” 

Aaron’s heart thuds. 

“I mean, no offence.”

“Well we’re just not that similar. But it works.” Aaron drags his teeth over his bottom lip and tries to smile. “He’s a good man.” He says.

Tom raises his eyebrows. “Seemed a little full on to me.” 

Aaron holds back the way he wants to roll his eyes. “Yeah well. That’s him trying to be neighbourly or whatever.” He insists.

Tom is silent for a second and Aaron thinks about how Robert has tried with him, got excited at the slightest thing and made it something to come home and smile about. It makes him endearing. It makes Aaron feel guilty for having to clear up whatever he was only trying to do to help the case. 

“Well you must think so.” Tom’s saying.

“Think what?”

“That he’s a good man. You married him.” 

Aaron looks down, smiles a little and almost gets caught up in it. He suddenly remembers taking those stupid wedding pictures on the beach. He fights down a laugh and only looks up when Tom is halfway through speaking again.

He only catches the last bit of what he’s saying.

“My — my ring?”

Tom sips his beer. “Yeah. Thought it was a nervous thing but clearly it isn’t.” He reckons he’s a psychologist in the evenings then, way to break up all the fraud and deception or whatever he does during the day. “You play with it and smile. Potentially the only time I see you smile.”

Aaron’s eyes flicker and he sips his beer. Tom doesn’t even know him but his heart does something. “Quite the observation that.” He says.

“What can I say? I’m good at reading people.”

Aaron raises his eyebrow and tries to smile again. 

Robert hears the door go and sees Aaron standing there above him seconds later. He’s sprawled out on the sofa with a glass of wine on the table and the bottle tucked under his arm. 

“Hey.” Aaron says, it’s dark now, Robert can’t imagine how long he’s been gone for but it seems like he’s back late. He smells of beer when he leans down. “It’s all good now.” 

Robert sits up straighter and there’s a part of him that envies the way Aaron’s talking. “Thank fuck for you then.” He goes to stand and Aaron holds at his arm.

“Don’t be like that.” Aaron argues, “Look he’s fine with ya now, he just needed to understand why you were so ...”

“And what did you tell him?” 

Aaron shrugs, he removes his hand from Robert’s arm and gulps thickly. “Just lied, said you were trying to be neighbourly. That’s all.” He keeps staring and Robert can feel his concern all over him. He looks away and then looks back again. “Robert.”

“Just — I was trying to help.” Robert pushes out, he takes the wine bottle from his side and keeps pouring more into the glass. “But I didn’t. I made it ... worse.” 

Aaron leans back against what he’s seeing. He’s not seen this before, this vulnerable sad side of the great Robert Sugden. He almost wishes he could run away from it.

“Oi. Aunt Kim. They’re family, we’ll look into that.” 

“We?” Robert hangs his head close to Aaron’s and swings it lazily. “Thought I was too much of a disappointment.” 

Aaron frowns. “No one said that.” He says and Robert looks away, recalls it being another time instead but Lawrence might as well have said it. 

Robert goes to speak and then takes the glass to his mouth and Aaron brings it back down again.

“You’ve had enough.”

“You’re not _really_ my husband.” Robert spits. “So back off.” 

Aaron sighs hard as he stands. “Don’t shut me out.”

“I never even let you _in_ in the first place so ...” Robert stands too, only he’s unsteady on his feet and he manages to get to the edge of the living room before turning to stare back at Aaron. He looks concerned, he hasn’t seen someone look at him like that for ages. “Connor.” He whispers, it flows through the air and Aaron’s neck cranks up towards him, stunned. 

Robert feels suddenly full of everything he hates, the parts of him that he’s really tried to keep hidden away. 

“Robert you don’t ...”

“Lawrence’s hasn’t looked at me like that ... since then.” Robert steadies his breathing and thinks deeply for a second. “Seducing him, making him ... think we were something only to bust his pimp and his bosses for what they were doing.”

Aaron bites at his lip, shoulders slumped slightly as he hears the story. He hasn’t heard everything, comments, gossip more like but that’s all. 

“You ... from what I heard ... you saved him and the rest of them from that _life_ they were living.”

“Yeah but he’s on the streets now.” Robert says. “Back where he was before. It’s been years, done and dusted and he’s back there and I didn’t do a thing to really help him.”

“You weren’t meant to —“

“I made him fall in love with me. And it was all pretend.” Robert says. “And then I went and felt something back.”

Aaron comes closer to him. “Robert ...”

“For a _bloke_.” Robert pulls a face. “Me.” He whispers. “He wanted to run away, all sorts and I even _entertained_ it, could have busted the whole thing, I nearly did. That’s why ...”

“Everyone says you nearly ruined your first ever case.” Aaron has his arms towards his sides and he edges closer, brings them up. 

“I’m a liar. It’s what I do. I’m lying right now.” Robert says, because it hurts sometimes, it hurts _all_ the time to push down a part of you in favour for another. He looks down at the stupid wedding band and resents it, looks up and resents Aaron even more. 

“It’s just a job.” 

“It’s me though Aaron.” Robert says. “I’m me. I can’t forget when the case is closed.” He runs a hand over his face and shakes his head. “Just forget I ever ...”

“I shouldn’t have made fun of you over the case with ... Connor. I didn’t — know that you had feel—“ Robert straightens his back against it and tells Aaron to stop talking. “Robert, I’ve _been_ there ...”

“You don’t know me Aaron. Me and you, we’re not even _remotely_ the same. You came along and what? One of the youngest in the company. Gay. All happy and proud of it.”

“I wasn’t always.” Aaron tries, but Robert shakes his head. “I hated myself and it got pretty dark. I can’t get that time back.” 

Robert closes his eyes. “I’m not like you.”

“No you like men _and_ women. And that’s fine.” Aaron feels all this stuff for Robert suddenly and he tries to shove back inside. “But —“

“I _sleep_ with men. I love women. There’s plenty of blokes like me OK?” Robert says, and he doesn’t care how messed up it sounds. His hands shake slightly and he stares at the stupid wedding ring. “This could be your future but it won’t ever be mine.” He says before turning his back and walking towards the bedroom.

He’s out for the count by the time Aaron slips in bedside him, there’s this wall of nothing between them as they stick to their side and Robert wakes up to see Aaron’s back and nothing else.

It’s the middle of the night and he hates himself for overthinking but there’s Vic there waving her arms about and telling him to call her and then there’s Lawrence making him feel like a failure again. He breathes with Aaron, feels the rise and fall of his chest and he has to look away.

He ends up coming back in with a glass of water sitting with his legs hung over and his feet on the floor. The covers make a sound and he hears Aaron rising. 

“Can’t sleep?” Aaron croaks out, he looks at Robert’s freckled back and realises he’s gone without a shirt tonight. 

Robert turns his head. “Don’t mean you shouldn’t try.” He says, Aaron doesn’t say anything and he sighs. “Sorry.”

“Not that bad of a comment.”

“About ... earlier.” Robert says. “It’s just hard, doing this, with you.”

Aaron bites his lip. “Can’t imagine me doing this either when I was — well before I accepted who I was.” Robert turns sharply. “I’m not saying ...”

“I know what you’re saying.” Robert sighs hard. “I was up for that date remember, me and you.” Aaron does remember, of course he remembers. “But then I ... my dad died last year.” He hasn’t really told anyone, he’s kept it to himself because he has a lot of reasons.

“Oh. Shit. I —“

“Sort of made me jump back into the ... metaphorical closet or whatever.” Robert says. “He didn’t —“

“Know?”

Robert freezes up. “I don’t want to talk about ...”

“Yeah that’s fine.” Aaron says quickly. 

“I know what I am, I always have. It’s just ... knowing is different to ... actually saying the word —“

“Bisexual?” Aaron asks quietly. Robert almost turns away from him. “It takes time, you go at your own pace.”

Robert scoffs. “With this on my finger.” He looks down at the ring. “I meant what I said earlier about this not being my future. Still feels that way, maybe it always will.”

Aaron shakes his head. “You never know.” He whispers, eyes still on Robert as he speaks. 

“What I do know is ... I’ve hurt people and it sticks.” He points to his head. “You can’t see it but it’s up here. All these scars of people I’ve ...”

Aaron doesn’t say anything, he just sits up and bites down at his lip before taking his jumper off slowly. 

“What are you ...”

He’s wearing a white vest top underneath but Robert notices the faint scars across his arms. He’s stunned for a second and then he looks at Aaron’s face and sees his eyes are shiny and soft. 

“We’ve all got scars. No biggie.”

“How did ...” Robert stops himself. “You didn’t have to show me that.”

“We’re husbands. You’ve seen it all before.” Aaron says, eyes turning brighter and then they cast over again. “I’ve been through stuff, dad’s are really shit aren’t they?” 

Robert basks in the common ground, feels Aaron’s hand hover over his before moving away. Robert looks down and then up again at Aaron before the hand falls against his. 

“But it gets better.” Aaron whispers.

Robert’s never been so touched. He nods his head slowly before smiling and getting back into bed. For the first time, he feels Aaron’s arm around him, holding him tightly towards him. He doesn’t let go. 

—

Robert wakes up to Aaron’s legs over his, they’re almost stuck together because of the heat of the night and the way Aaron’s arms are still wrapped around him. He blinks out against the feeling for a second, the sun light pouring in and making him squint.

After tilting his head up he sees that Aaron’s still asleep, maybe still unaware of how he’s held onto him. He smiles against it faintly, unsure of exactly how he’s supposed to react. He doesn’t want to pull away, he knows that much and it feels like this big deal for him. 

It makes his heart beat a little faster and then it stops altogether when Aaron tilts his head down in his sleep and his mouth grazes over Robert’s hair.

He closes his eyes again, pulls a hand up towards Aaron’s chest and pretends to be asleep as Aaron makes a sound and clearly fidgets. He keeps his eyes closed, feels them both breathing in unison.

Aaron opens his eyes, it’s been about an hour now, he smiles to himself before resuming his position. 

—

Aaron’s tried to make a vegetable curry to shake their lives up a bit and Robert’s sure he’s read an article about sex life and not food but at least he’s trying. It isn’t all that bad either. 

It’s on the slightly watery side but Robert’s not going to complain. He’d come home to Aaron cutting vegetables and seasoning and all sorts. Robert’s certain he’s come across a couple of chickpeas and he can’t help but laugh when Aaron picks up on his curious face. 

“Yes I do know what a chickpea is thank you very much.” Aaron says. He leans over the table just to hit at Robert’s arm and Robert laughs again. 

It feels like there’s something changed between them, this non existent barrier has been lowered and Robert doesn’t hate him. He really doesn’t hate him. 

He goes to speak when his phone starts vibrating on the table next to him. He breathes right in when he sees who it is and Aaron’s hand on his arm is pulled away quickly.

“Not going to answer that?” He says, Robert can hear him but it’s almost background noise as he sees her face pop up on the screen. She’s all smiley and care free and he doesn’t have it in him to pick up. 

He shouldn’t, there’s rules and regulations to these sorts of things for a reason. It’s why he decides to let it ring out, over and over again until Aaron’s asking him again.

“Why do you care? Just leave it.” Robert snaps, Aaron’s face changes instantly and he scrapes the chair back. 

“Sorry I asked.” Aaron says. His eyes give away how he feels a little, he’s obviously read into the call or something because it’s all over his face. Robert thinks about telling him, everything inside him says it’s okay to but he doesn’t. He resists and watches Aaron think what he likes.

It’s easier that way for reasons Robert doesn’t fully know. 

—

Aaron reaches out for a second in bed. He closes his eyes and then hesitates as he stares at the back of Robert’s head. His fingers skate over the surface.

He pulls away.

—

“What’s all this?” Aaron’s in his gym gear panting his head off when he closes the door and comes into the house. He has a hand against his hip and he frowns when Robert tells him to come into the kitchen. 

Robert’s in his chef whites. He’s stirring something and smiles when he looks up and sees Aaron.

“Dinner.”

“You gone all out for what? Lydia’s not coming is she?” He scratches his shoulder before sitting down on the stool. Robert frowns at him.

“Just wanted to do something ...”

“Nice?” Aaron’s instantly blushing red. “Why. What did you do?” 

Robert stops stirring and shrugs. “Because I’m a nice person.” He says. “Sometimes.” 

Aaron sits back and then bites his lip. “I’m going for a shower, I’ll be back.” When he is, Robert’s sat down waiting for him. He’s over cooked the steak but Aaron doesn’t bat an eyelid. They don’t speak about the case at all and Robert relaxes against the feeling of whatever it is they’re doing now. 

He supposes that they’re friends. 

“Go on, what’s the real reason for this?” Aaron’s asking, elbows on the table and beer in his hand. He waits for Robert to say something cynical but he doesn’t. Instead he goes and makes Aaron’s heart do something weird.

“The other night you were there for me.” Robert says slowly. “And it meant ... a lot.” It’s never not going to make him uncomfortable, thinking about who he is and what he likes but Aaron managed to make it slow down in his mind. “And I snapped yesterday over the call but ...”

Aaron waves a hand out and shakes his head. “You might not ... like yourself all that much but ... people do. They have their reasons.” His cheeks are a soft pink colour that doesn’t match the rest of his face and he gulps down his beer steadily. 

Robert’s eyebrow arches. “Do they?” He says. 

Aaron brings his teeth up over his lower lip and then breathes out before hesitating. “Well I ...”

There’s a knock on the door that cuts him off completely and he runs a hand across his face, tells himself to get a grip by the time he sees who’s there. Lawrence nods at him from the door and Robert crosses his arms over. He’s not in the mood to be called useless again but he hears him out for the most part of it.

In short, he needs Robert to think with his dick. 

“I thought I wasn’t trusted?” Robert says. He can see Aaron playing with his hands and not really listening but then Lawrence repeats himself and he’s sure Aaron’s head flashes up. “Priya?”

He wants Robert to try and get close to her, push her into revealing some things about Tom. He wants him back in the house, comfortable to ask questions, comfortable to be alone upstairs for him to spy.

Robert chews at his lip and stays silent when Aaron suddenly stands. 

“He’s meant to be married. To me. A man.”

Robert bristles slightly when Lawrence simply shrugs. “Well he can be into ... experimenting.”

“Or just ... into both.” Robert says. Aaron smiles at him for a second and it means a lot. He feels heat rise up through him that Lawrence squashes. 

“Get close to her.”

“So the whole happily married —“

“Aaron.” Lawrence says sternly. “Do we have a problem here?” And Robert doesn’t find him intimating but he’s been dealing with his shit for years whereas Aaron hasn’t. He’s younger, more malleable under whatever Lawrence wants. 

He expects Aaron to shake his head but he nods it instead.

“Me and Rob have been doing just fine.” Robert does something and Aaron steps in to help. Then the opposite happens. They’re _fine_ that way.

Lawrence breathes in deeply and then steps forward. “I’m not ruining my plans because you’re jealous.”

Robert is stunned for a second and then Aaron’s holding the bridge of his nose and stepping back. “He just — he’s not. It’s just that we had a plan.” 

“Now you have this one.”

—

Aaron watches him in the mirror. He watches him pull a face, psyche himself up and then wink before he goes. 

“Bye husband.” He says, voice light and soft. 

Aaron stays. 

—

Priya’s not a stupid woman. She’s been working with Tom for nearly four years now and although Robert’s unsure why he needs her _and_ his robot he doesn’t care that much to ask. 

Tom’s away on business apparently and he invites himself in as she’s unloading boxes from the car. His being there seems to make her jump and he smiles, holds his hands up and offers her some help. 

It takes three boxes of gym equipment later and he’s on the sofa, man spreading all over the place and holding a glass of wine in his hand. 

“How’s Aaron?” She asks. It’s an obvious question, only he’s stumped at what to say. It must give something away because she smiles. “Oh. Bad is it?” 

“We don’t see each other all that much.” Robert’s a liar so this is nothing but it makes him feel bad. “He’s not all that good at —“

“Boosting your ego?”

“I was going to say ...” Robert smiles. “Making me feel wanted.”

“And I do?” Priya shakes her head. “Well that’s nice. I hope straight blokes think the same way you do.”

Robert’s hands turn clammy. “Bisexual ones do.” He says. He says the word out loud and it doesn’t scare him because this is still just acting. He looks away from him and smiles. “What? You didn’t know? I’ve been thinking about you for a while.”

He feels empty as he speaks in a way he hasn’t before. It’s been a while since he’s done all of this and he’d rather he wasn’t. 

“Enough about that.” Priya runs a hand across her hair like she’s flustered and Robert sits back and lets her drone on about nothing to even out the tension. He’s made aware that she has an office in the home and that Graham lives only a few miles away. 

He pours more wine and she gives him a funny look.

“Aaron’s probably expecting you back.” She asks, but he distracts her with a hand falling onto her thigh. It makes her shudder. “Robert.”

“Priya.” He says. He goes to kiss her when her phone goes and the moment between them becomes lost. He feels strangely grateful for it.

She makes her excuses and leaves the room, he can see that it’s Tom and he wonders how he’d react if he knew he was in his house again. He gives himself a second to worry and then makes his way over towards the bookshelf. 

He sees the picture again. The woman. This time he doesn’t think twice about taking a picture and sending it straight to Lawrence. She’s suddenly at the root of it, he suddenly wants her caught for whatever she’s doing with Graham.

Priya re-emerges with her arms crossed and she comes towards him. “That was Tom. He’s coming home tomorrow morning so I should clear this up before he gets back.”

Robert changes tact, realises that seducing her isn’t going to get him what he wants.

“Family photo?” Robert asks, Priya nods slowly. 

“He doesn’t have many left. Just her. She’s not on the scene though.”

“Oh.” Robert turns a little. “I assumed it was his mum.” 

She talks in short sentences and he can tell he’s got her back up slightly so he eases the pressure and talks about his family. He makes stuff up and she laughs with him at something. 

“Yeah well, they all screw each other over at some point. Just a matter of time until ...” She stops herself and he arches an eyebrow. 

“Until what?”

She seems flustered again. “Until she screws him up again.” 

He goes to speak, he can feel the words on the tip of his tongue when Aaron calls. He closes his eyes, tells her to ignore it but he rings again and a text comes through.

_It’s an emergency come_

He wants to throttle him when Priya opens the door and tells him to go. 

—

Aaron’s on the sofa watching Top Gear in his jogging bottoms when Robert flys through the door and comes into the living room.

“What’s on fire?” Robert asks. His eyes are widen a little as Aaron sits up and turns his attention towards him.

“Why would anything be on—“

“Emergency.” Robert says. “You text.”

“Oh.” Aaron stands and suddenly doesn’t face him as he walks into the kitchen. “Yeah I thought I had a break through with one of the leads over the woman you saw in the picture. You know, Kim.” He turns the kettle on. “Tea?”

Robert stands stunned, his nice duster coat smells of kebab now as he takes in what Aaron’s clearly dined out on for dinner. 

“Are you kidding?”

“Right. You’re a coffee man.” 

“Aaron.” Robert snaps. “What do you mean you _thought_ you had a lead? What happened?” 

Aaron pulls a face. “I was close to one but they said she’d died a couple years back. No big deal.” Robert studies the look on his face. “What?”

“I had Priya right where I wanted her.” Robert says. He has a hand on his hip and he shakes his head at Aaron. “And you —“

“What, naked in a bed?” Aaron says and then he pulls back. “I didn’t —“

“I’m doing my job. And she wasn’t — in bed.” Robert says. “She was talking to me about Tom. About Kim. I was getting somewhere and you ...” Aaron looks away. “Oh. I get it.”

Aaron’s mouth parts slightly. 

“You want Lawrence to think you’ve solved this by yourself. That’s it. You want him to finally give you a pat on the —“

Aaron starts charging away from him. “Don’t be stupid.”

“I’m not being stupid. You’ve made your feelings very clear.”

Aaron stops. “What — what feelings?”

“About me not deserving the success I’ve had, about how underhand I am, about how you’re so much more whiter than white than I am.” Robert raises a hand and then drops it. 

“You’re ridiculous.” Aaron says.

“Yeah and you’re jealous.”

Aaron looks at him with wide blue eyes and then looks down again. 

“Yeah you’re right. I’m jealous.” Aaron says, he stops for a second and then sighs. “Of you ... being the top dog around here. So you know what? How about I just stay out of your way.” Aaron says, and he sleeps on the sofa for the first time. 

—

He’s got a few photos to show Robert, they revolve around the woman he thinks is Kim. Robert instantly recognises her and his head sort of spins with how lucky he was for Priya to leave the room when she did.

“That one. That was her.”

Lawrence turns the picture over with a smirk. “Kim. Tate. Which means Tom Waterhouse is lying about his name more than anything else.”

—

Joseph Tate is an arsehole but Kim Tate is a whole lot more than that.

—

Robert turns over in bed and then turns over again to see that Aaron’s not there. He’s annoyed more than anything else because they’re supposed to be happy about basically nailing Joe for what he’s been doing. 

Or more like what Kim’s been doing, moving the money from his business around and dealing with dodgy contacts. Joe clearly thinks he’s somehow ahead of the game when he _isn’t_.

They’re still working on Graham because he’s still a robot but at least they’re getting somewhere. They’re supposed to be getting somehow together but they’re _not_. 

Robert sits up in bed and wonders where Aaron is, he doesn’t hear him against the floorboards and he’s definitely not on the sofa. He’d gone to bed without him, waited way too long to watch him come through the door. He sits up further and rolls the covers off of him, goes to stand and then pauses when the front door opens. He moves towards the bedroom door and sees Aaron being kissed on the neck by some random bloke. 

He’s obviously got some breathing difficulties by the way he’s panting and laughing like a loser but Aaron doesn’t push him off even slightly. He just falls back against the wall and closes his eyes. 

It makes Robert scowl like crazy and he only manages to say something when he finds himself out the door and the bloke is looking his way. 

“Oh. This a ... threesome situ—“

“Get the fuck out.” Robert shouts. “Now.”

Aaron looks embarrassed, his eyes are wide and he pulls this face as the bloke draped over him stands straighter. “Robert.” He says. “What are you...”

Robert realises that he’s only in his boxers and the idiot could have taken the situation to mean something entirely different to what it is but he’s still scowling at him. He isn’t moving. “I said ...”

“Fine. Not worth the bother.” He hears the bloke say, he’s blonde mop of hair moves with him as he gets towards the door and leaves Aaron standing there alone.

“That wasn’t — nice.”

Robert studies the way Aaron’s looking at him, he’s pissed but still with it enough to understand that Robert’s angry. 

“Neither is having random’s in the house.” Robert says, he shakes his head. “Are you _crazy_?” He asks.

“Me?” Aaron says. He leans up against the wall and pokes his hips towards Robert. “‘M just tryna have a good time.” 

Robert sees him, he can’t help but see the way he’s almost hiding something in his eyes. Badly. “So you were just going to have sex where? On top of me in bed?”

Aaron waves a hand out and it’s almost like he didn’t even think that far. He looks even more awkward and Robert calls him embarrassing. It gets his back up, he suddenly frowns.

“Nothing embarrassing about it.”

“Oh I think so. Just throwing yourself —“

“Who said I threw myself at anyone? And says _you_ , how many women have you —“

“That’s —“

“What? Different? They don’t have dicks so it ain’t wrong?” Aaron comes further towards Robert. “You know just ‘cause you’re ashamed of liking men doesn’t mean I am.”

Aaron brings a hand over his mouth when Robert moves back. It feels like a kick right to his stomach and it hurts. He wants to run but he can’t. He feels almost frozen until Aaron reaches a hand out to say something and he turns away, ends up in the bathroom with the door locked. 

He sits on the edge of the toilet, can hear Aaron on the other side telling him to open the door. “Didn’t mean to say that.”

“You did.” Robert tells him. He hears Aaron sigh and then sit on the floor on the other side of the door. “You have no idea.” 

“I’ve been there.” Aaron tells him. “I promise I have.”

Robert slips down from the seat and sits up against the shower on the floor, brings his knees up to his chest. “And yet you still take the piss.”

“I shouldn’t. I’m sorry.” Aaron gulps hard and then sighs. “I’m here for ya, with all of that.”

Robert sniffs and then gets this courage out of nowhere. “My dad, he wouldn’t be. Not at all.” He shakes his head sadly. 

“He might have, in time. Parents just want their kids happy don’t they?” 

Robert tries to smile. “He knew. There was a lad when I was young, he saw, he _knew_.” He looks at the door like he’s looking right at Aaron. “He hit me for it. Didn’t speak to me for weeks. I knew Aaron.” His voice breaks slightly and Aaron breathes in.

“OK. I’m sorry. I didn’t —“

“Don’t be.” Robert blinks quickly. “I was OK and then he died and it all came back.” He lifts his head. “Liking blokes too was finally not that big of a deal, but he ruined that. He _died_ and I couldn’t help but think about myself.”

“It’s not as easy as thinking that way. You loved him too didn’t ya? But he hurt you, you’re allowed to ... Robert you haven’t done anything wrong.”

Robert doesn’t say anything, he just slowly stands and opens the door. Aaron offers him the smallest smile before Robert leans forwards and Aaron hugs him. He smells like beer, whoever that bloke was, stupid hair gel. Robert doesn’t let go. 

—

He’s calmed down a little. Aaron’s holding onto him as they try to sleep and he feels his eyes close against it before Aaron strokes his arm.

Robert looks up at him. 

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Robert whispers. He looks at Aaron again before moving further down in his arms. “This is weird this.”

“What?”

“You. Being nice. No duvet between us.” 

Aaron looks down at him, hesitates to push a hand through Robert’s hair. “Yeah well ... I can be nice.” 

Robert gulps hard. “Sorry for ruining your ...”

“Shag?”

Robert laughs, his chest puffs out slightly with it. “Yeah. That.”

“Don’t matter.” Aaron says. He means it. It feels scary how much he really means it. 

“You know, I don’t know how you do it.” Robert says. “Did it.” He corrects himself and then feels stupid. “Just ... accepted it. You must have been young.”

Aaron nods against Robert’s hair. “Yeah I was. And it was shit.” He says. “But people cared, my family, Adam. He’s an idiot but ... he’s a good mate.”

“Yeah well so are you.” Robert says, it sort of just spills out and he doesn’t hold it back in time. Aaron stills slightly and Robert thinks of something to say. “Remember you saying your mum owns a pub, that’s cool.”

“Yeah. With my cousin. Get plenty of free pints, could shout you one if you want.”

“She probably wouldn’t like me.” Robert says. He doesn’t even know why he says it but he does and he blames himself. 

Aaron has a hand in Robert’s hair that strokes. “Hmm maybe not.” He laughs against his hair and then stops. “I’m joking. She’d like you because she’d see I like ya and back off.”

Robert doesn’t read into it at all. “Yeah. And we’re married so she’d have to put up with it.”

“What like I put up with you?” Aaron teases.

Robert looks up at him, Aaron’s hands move back towards his middle and the air changes. “Yeah. Sort of. Thanks.” Robert says.

“Don’t need to say that.”

“I do.” Robert says, after a few minutes of silence. He’s drifting into sleep now and Aaron is still close to him, he reaches out and a hand lands of Aaron’s chest. 

Aaron shakes his head lightly. “You know ... you don’t have to pretend to be anything.” Robert hears him say. “Just ... being yourself, that’s enough.” 

Robert’s eyes flicker, it’s the last thing he hears before his eyes shut again.

—

Priya’s somehow ended up sitting across from him in some fancy restaurant and she’s giving them these eyes. It’s clear that she’s the welcoming the attention and Robert wants to keep it up despite not feeling as he did before about it all. He isn’t excited. She’s beautiful but he doesn’t _fancy_ her like he did. 

It feels different. 

But it doesn’t matter because he’s here for the case and despite him apparently being happily married, he’s entertaining her flirting. That’s all it is really, she laughs and giggles and then when he can he mentions Joe. She calls him Tom and he nods along with it, she mentions how Graham’s been acting odder recently and then she says that Tom’s not the pushover Graham thinks he is. 

Then she makes eyes at his crotch and smiles. He just sips his wine and smiles back. 

—

Aaron hangs by the door staring. There’s a softness in his face and he rolls his eyes as he sees Robert on his hands and knees in the front garden. 

There’s the tiniest patch of green and his arse is in the air as he pulls weeds out.

“You do realise this isn’t actually our home?” He sticks a hand in his pocket and Robert looks up at him through the sunlight.

“Just making it look presentable.” Robert shrugs.

“Which means, better than _Joe’s_?” Aaron says. Robert just keeps pulling out random bits of weeds. “I don’t even know why you care that much, you’re fitter than he is.”

Aaron’s face turns red and he wants to die when Robert’s eyes flicker up towards his. 

“You’re just saying that ‘cause we’re married.” Robert teases, teeth resting on his tongue as he smiles up. 

Aaron blows out a breath, laughs it off. It’s obviously hilarious. 

—

Lydia’s an interfering woman at the best of times but now she’s standing outside their house as Robert pulls up in his car. He offers her a small frown and she turns all pale with it.

“You ... alright Lydia?”

“I’d love to speak to you about ... something.” Her voice is hardly there and he only pushes her through the door when he sees Joe staring over at them. He sits her down and has to offer her a cup of tea when she says her mouth is dry. “I’m afraid I think I saw something I shouldn’t have.” 

Robert’s eyes flicker and he wonders how exactly he’s supposed to front out whatever she’s seen. She’s a daft woman but she also has an intelligence, he can see it in her eyes when she’s concentrating on details.

“What — what did you see?”

Lydia places a hand on her lap. “I was in the supermarket late the other night buying lemons for my Sam. He wanted a lemon pie but I didn’t have any lemons so I was in the —“

“Yes.”

“When I was leaving, I went past the pretty Italian place.” Lydia says. “You know the one that has the fake candles so you don’t blow them out before —“

“Lydia.” Robert doesn’t understand how anyone on the planet has the patient for her. “What did you see?”

“Your Aaron. With some chap.” 

Robert’s eyes widen slightly and he stays silent, waits as she goes on. Apparently they looked cozy, apparently they were laughing and joking for a long time.

“Well how long were you there?”

“Oh I wasn’t spying.” The irony slaps him around the face and he bites his lip. “I just ...”

“When did you say this was?” 

Lydia frowns. “Two nights ago.” Robert clears his throat, he remembers him being with Priya, Aaron off out too. It was weird, saying goodbye to each other. Aaron slid his ring off and placed it on the coffee table awkwardly. He stared at it for at least five seconds before leaving.

“He went out to see his cousin. That could have been it? Yeah. Tuesday night right?” He basically feeds her a pack of lies and she’s all relieved. She apologies about four times and says she’ll come around with her lemon pie soon. He nods and watches her leave.

Then he sits there, he’s playing with the stupid wedding ring and he feels so angry it’s ridiculous. It’s mainly because he doesn’t like what he’s doing with Priya, he hasn’t slept with her but he’s kissed her. He’s felt her up, he’s made her think he likes her when he doesn’t. He doesn’t like that part of this all and he doesn’t get how Aaron can enjoy dates with other people through this either.

He’s coming out the shower when he hears Aaron come through the door. He’s been out all day at the office with Lawrence and he smiles when he comes in. Robert’s hair is still damp from the shower and he’s not wearing a top. The towel around his middle tightens with his hand.

Aaron stares at him, pink ears and a nod before Robert goes and sticks a top on, yanks some jeans on too before coming back in. Aaron’s still looking flushed but he’s playing on his phone now. 

“Thinking chicken for tea or something. Or a stir—“ Aaron sits up. “What?”

“Lydia saw you the other night.” Robert says. “Out. With some random.”

“Michael?”

Robert twitches. “I don’t know, you tell me. How many men are there?”

Aaron sits up now, he’s almost got a smile on his face. “Why? What’s it got to do with you?” He asks. Robert goes to speak and then he stops. “Huh?”

“Lydia thinks we’re the happiest couple in the world for some crazy reason. So she came around here, and she told me she’d seen you with someone else. Having dinner. Being cozy.” Robert says, and he sees Aaron’s face fall a little.

“Is that all she saw?”

Robert rolls his eyes. “Thankfully she missed the bit with you probably sucking him off in the toilets.”

Aaron stands. “It was a _date_.” He shouts. “Not every gay relationship is about sex.”

“Quit lecturing me about all of that stuff.” Robert says. “I’m making a _valid_ point here.”

Aaron looks up towards the ceiling and then looks back at Robert, starts pointing. “I’m not allowed to go out but you are. Is that the point?”

“It’s for the case.” Robert says, only Aaron scoffs. “It is.”

“You _fancy_ her.”

“So this is what it’s about then? I do something and do you have to have the same ...” Robert’s still speaking when Aaron goes towards their room, complains of a headache. “Just don’t ... stop doing things to jeopardise the case.”

Aaron goes to shut the bedroom door before he stares at Robert. “You keep telling yourself it’s just about that.” He says before shutting the door. 

Robert feels his head spin.

—

Aaron goes home for a few days, a break they both have the right to whilst on the mission. Robert doesn’t take his, he stays around in the empty house and works on the case. He misses him, the feeling spreads right over him and it makes him struggle. 

He contemplates a whole lot and he hates it. He hates the feeling even more when Aaron gets home, he’s happier for seeing his family, less grumpy even. 

It’s like he’s forgotten about the other night completely. They haven’t been the same since Aaron dared to imply something, imply that somehow, for some crazy reason, Robert was _jealous_. Or that his anger wasn’t simply to do with Aaron’s behaviour that constantly nearly loses the case. The space has done them good, Robert wants to think.

“Miss me?” Aaron swings his bag over his arm and arches an eyebrow when Robert pulls a face. “You so did.”

“Missed what? A messy living room or the smell of kebab.”

Aaron laughs. “That’s you being old that.”

“I’m sorry?” 

“Who doesn’t like the smell of kebabs?” Aaron sits up on the counter and swings his legs forward as he looks at Robert and then dramatically pauses. “Yeah that’s right, old people.”

Robert rolls his eyes and then brings his teeth over his lip. He _has_ missed this. Aaron plays on his phone for a second and before staring.

“What?”

“You.” Aaron says, he crosses his arms over. “You didn’t go home.” He says. “Everyone goes home.”

Robert knows that, it makes him feel worse. “Yeah. Well I didn’t.” Aaron looks sad for him as he slides off the counter and gets out a key ring. “What’s this?”

“Flock of sheep nearly killed me when I went out running one morning, thought you’d like the story.” Robert turns the key ring over in his hand, a fluffy sheep that looks alike it’s worth fifty pence.

“A story about you nearly dying?”

Aaron crosses the room and then nods. “Yep.” He says. He looks back and Robert’s smiling. “Told you.”

Robert doesn’t say anything. He just holds it in his hand. “Yeah well, you shouldn’t have.” He says. 

“I’m a kind soul sometimes.” Aaron jokes before gulping hard. “Just wondered if you missed the whole farming thing.” And once again Robert is touched. 

He just smiles faintly against it and the silence stretches out before Aaron speaks again. 

“Told my mum about me and you being hitched.” Aaron falls back on the sofa and folds his arms over. They’ve just had dinner and there’s a bottle of wine between them now. He has a small smile on his face and Robert scoffs. 

“You what?”

“Just for a laugh. You know, to see how she’d react or whatever. She went bright red and started basically making whale noises.”

“No wonder.” Robert argues and then he sighs when Aaron looks confused. “Seriously, me and you. Hardly the perfect match.”

“Well Lydia seems to think so.”

“Lydia’s clueless.” Robert argues.

Aaron muses over the fact. “To be fair, she does sort of know you as ‘the date’ guy.” He pulls this awkward face too and Robert flushes bright red when he thinks about it. They haven’t even spoken about that shit show of a date nearly two years ago now. It’s dead and buried much like Robert’s ego was that night.

“Oh. Right.” Robert itches the side of his head and Aaron laughs.

“Remember thinking you were _such_ a dick for staying.”

Robert frowns. “Uh I wasn’t the dick actually. You were.” He says. He watches Aaron’s eyes flicker like he’s deep in the memory. 

“Yeah I was.” Aaron looks at him, shoulders slumped further down on the sofa. “Truth is, I didn’t want to give you the time of day.”

“Well that’s just —“

“You sort of ... I don’t know, scared me.” Aaron says, Robert looks away. “Not ‘cause of cases or whatever people said, just ... I don’t know, you made me feel weird.” 

“Weird.” Robert says. “So that’s why you shouted at me?”

Aaron’s bright pink. “Thought it was a prank. Honest. Then I thought you’d take one look at me and ... go.”

“Because you’re so hideous.”

“Because you so ...” Aaron stops himself and Robert stops laughing, instead he looks at Aaron slumped down and focuses on the way Aaron focuses on his mouth suddenly. It feels like everything else stops around them. Robert dips his head a little and then stops. 

“You know I ... I wasn’t disappointed.” Robert whispers. “When I saw you sitting there, I wasn’t —“

“Neither was I.” Aaron says. “I didn’t even think you knew I existed so.” He rolls his eyes against it and then he’s moving forward, he leans a hand against Robert’s strong arm, he even closes his eyes and Robert freezes around it. His nose catches Aaron’s and then he shakes his head. 

“Aaron, no.” Robert says. Aaron’s half moon smile seems to melt away as he leans back slowly, what he’s saying sinks in. “We — I can’t.”

“Why not?” He whispers. 

“Because ...” Robert stops. “Because this is a case.” He bites his lip and Aaron looks away. 

“Don’t use that as an excuse.” Aaron wipes a hand over his face. “Don’t even know what I was thinking, just ... just forget it yeah?” He hurries away and Robert sits there wanting to kick himself. 

—

“This, it’s all to apologise for a little misunderstanding.” Lydia’s sitting at their table with her hapless husband and a casserole in the middle of them all. She’s got this awkward look on her face and Aaron just tries to smile back.

Robert looks over at him, tries to say something that’ll stop the look of doom on his face. The thing is, he knows what it’s about.

He’s latest stunt involved taking the leather briefcase from Joe’s room. He’d gone straight to Lawrence with it and documents revealing Joe’s identity were revealed. Nothing really that they didn’t know already but Aaron didn’t tell him a word about it. 

And there’s also what happened the other night. We can’t forget the other night can we?

Now, he’s got to try and sit here and pretend like he’s in love with him. It makes him want to run away.

“You really didn’t have to.” Aaron argues and Robert looks at him. “I mean, thanks.”

“It’s just my way of saying ...”

“Well there was really no need.” Aaron says, he runs a hand across his neck and then sits up. Robert’s hand skates close to his knee and then stops. “But um ... what’s in the casserole?”

“Beef. Carrots. Swede. I think there’s a bit of potato in there too.” Lydia smiles, teeth and everything before she looks at Robert. “Here, Aaron’s told me you’re a great cook.”

Aaron’s face turns bright red when Robert hears

“Oh. Has he?” Robert leans back. “Well, I do try. He burns water.”

Aaron lights up slightly, he doesn’t seem angry anymore and just shakes his head. “I just let him do all the work.”

“Yeah. So do I.” Sam says, his shoulders slump a little and he laughs, fork waggling through the air. “I mean about Lydia. Not Robert.”

“Yeah I think we got it.” Robert tries to smile through it.

Sam nods. “Go on, get soppy and say a nice thing.” He says, practically knocks Robert’s shoulder. 

Aaron clears his throat. “Uh he don’t need to do that.” He says. Robert looks away and starts playing with his food whilst Lydia prods. “Lydia ...”

“He’s supportive.” Robert says, he keeps his head down. “Like I know he’s there for me.” He only lifts his head when Lydia does this small gasp and holds a hand to her chest.

“Steady on Lyds.” Sam’s saying, mouthful of food. Robert takes a look at Aaron’s face, studies it for a second and then looks away. 

“Oh it’s just lovely.” Lydia says. “Aaron, isn’t it lovely.”

“It’s ...” Aaron stares at Robert and then blinks. “Yeah it’s lovely.”

“You’re both lovely.” Lydia is their mum, or their crazy aunt, one of them anyway and he doesn’t see what she sees in them. He doesn’t want to see it. 

“This is lovely.” Robert says helplessly, stares down at his plate. 

“It’s rare that you find this.” 

“What, beef casserole?” Aaron asks, he has an eyebrow raised and Lydia laughs. She goes on about them, him and Robert, being lucky to have each other or whatever. She says she found Sam later in life but she’s happy, and it’s *so clear that they are. “How can you ...” He stops himself, it festers in his mind and then Robert’s mentioning something about the weather and steering the conversation away again.

Only Sam mentions their wedding, stares at the pictures and then the idiot is asking them if they said their own vows. Robert nods weakly and Lydia tilts her head and makes this ‘go on’ gesture.

“Just said uh ... you know, lovey dovey stuff.” Aaron says. He scratches his eyebrow and then gulps hard. “That he’s funny, he really makes me laugh sometimes. He actually can be a laugh when he’s not so uptight.” Lydia laughs about it. “That he’s ... uh ... a good person.” Robert looks up towards him and Aaron nearly falters. “Who’s been through a lot I didn’t know about, who’s brave about it. He ain’t bad looking either.” 

Robert smiles. It almost looks blinding. Something is caught in his chest as Lydia asks him if his were that soppy. He doesn’t know what to say, he sits for a second, stumped until he opens his mouth.

“Pretty much. Just ... that he’s the first person who uh cared about me for a long time. Really cared and uh it meant so much. That I fancied him right away too.” Lydia pulls this face and Aaron’s smiling. “That he really surprised me.”

“Good surprise I hope?” 

“Yeah. Yeah a good one.” 

—

Robert’s finished washing dishes and Aaron’s sprawled out on the sofa with the telly off and his face in his phone. He’s playing some game, moving his fingers up and down the screen and everything.

“You’re such a kid.” Robert says as he lifts Aaron’s legs and sits under them before placing them back down again. He yawns before placing a hand on his thigh and seeing Aaron look up at him. “What?”

“I died.” Robert frowns. “In the game, you made me die when you put my feet up.” 

“Oh sorry.” 

“Doesn’t matter.” Aaron sits up and brings his knees to his chest. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” He says. “Considering.”

“Considering what?”

“We had to make _vows_ up.” Aaron explains, he laughs for a second and then looks at Robert. “Pretty nice words you said.”

“You can talk. You basically had Lydia in tears.”

“I hardly said anything.” Aaron says before his eyes flicker. “Were you thinking of Chrissie?” He asks, a hand falls on his lap and Robert doesn’t know what to say for a second. He suddenly realises that he hasn’t even thought of her for days now, maybe weeks. 

“No.” Robert says. 

“That girl on your phone then.”

Robert _knew_ Aaron saw her face. He laughs a little before sighing. “You mean my sister. Yeah, don’t think so. I’m avoiding her at the moment so ...”

“Because of your dad?”

“Because of everything.” Robert replies, he feels himself tense and then he lightens again. “No, no I was thinking of ... you.” He says. 

Aaron smiles a little and his tongue sticks out. “And did you mean it?” He says. “Actually don’t an-“

“Yeah I meant it.” Robert looks at Aaron and feels a steady beat of something in his chest. It won’t go away, he doesn’t want it to. “Did you?”

Aaron nods his head slowly.

“Especially about the being not bad looking part?” Robert arches an eyebrow and Aaron sighs hard. 

“You know you’re not.” Aaron looks like the ground’s swallowing him up. “You’re ...”

“What?”

“You’re fit. There. Big deal.” Aaron says and Robert laughs.

“Cheers.”

Aaron stays quiet, smiling a little before he leans back on the sofa and turns redder. “Listen, about the whole burning water thing. It’s only ‘cause I don’t know how the knobs work on the stove so it gets —“ 

Robert silences him, his mouth falling onto Aaron’s as he holds his neck and sinks towards him. At first Aaron’s clearly startled, but really it takes seconds for him to react. He pulls Robert further towards him, keeps kissing him deeper until he pulls away and he looks completely lost.

They’ve kissed before. It’s made something feel weird before and yet. 

“That was ...” Aaron’s eyes give it all away. 

Robert nods before leaning towards him again. Aaron pushes at his chest. “Robert I thought ...”

“I don’t care.” Robert says, his hands fall around Aaron’s body. “I want you.” He says, “Do you not ...”

Aaron scoffs like it’s always been obviously. “What do you think?” Robert bites his lip, unsure. “ _Yes_.” Aaron says before pulling at Robert’s shirt and diving back in again.

—

Aaron’s pretty amazing in bed, he finds out twice in one night and then once into the earlier hours of the next morning. They’re both sweaty messes and they’re sleeping naked together for the first time ever. Robert’s dick feels like it might actually fall off but he doesn’t mind.

Aaron kisses his chest, Robert runs a hand through his hair gently and then smiles. Like really properly smiles. He feels himself getting lost in the curls in Aaron’s hair. 

Then he dips his head down just to keep kissing Aaron, his jaw aches with it but he carries on. Aaron is smiling into it, Robert feels overwhelmed with it all. 

He doesn’t hear a phone, Aaron doesn’t hear his either. They just wrap their arms together, kiss lazily until they’re falling asleep, mouths parted against each other’s.

Happy. 

—

“Graham. Don’t. You don’t have to do this.”

“I do Joe. I’m so sorry.”

— 

Robert wakes up because of the sunlight hitting his face and Aaron’s warm body melted against his own. He holds a hand up towards his eyes to shield himself from the view and then Aaron’s looking towards him and smiling. 

“You alright?” Aaron runs a hand up Robert’s arm and then stops before kissing him softly. “Did last night actually ...”

“And this morning yeah.” Robert’s throat is still sore.

“Bet Lydia had a field day.”

“Gross.” Robert says. 

“Because you know I’m right.”

“Because she’s obsessed.”

“In a nice way.” Aaron tells him, he rolls up towards him again and sits slumped against Robert’s lap. “It was ... not disappointing.” He bites his lip and Robert puffs his chest out. 

“Wasn’t it?” He teases although he can’t quite believe it himself. 

“It was ... everything I thought it would be.”

Robert fights a smile. “Us nearly breaking the bed or me doing you up against the wall?” Aaron’s bright red and then he holds Robert’s face. “What?”

Aaron says it’s nothing and then Robert holds his arm tightly to make him talk. “I’m just ... you seem happy. Not ashamed of ...”

“I’m not ashamed of this.” Robert says, he watches Aaron circle around his shoulder as he speaks. “Of you, of what we did. It felt ... good.”

“I felt good? You felt big.” Aaron’s mouth parts open before he kisses Robert again, brings his head back as his hands run through Robert’s hair. He pulls away with a soft smile on his face.

“I’m not saying that ... I’m comfortable with it. Or proud. Or whatever.” Aaron nods slowly. “But being with you feels good.”

Aaron looks a little mesmerised. Robert soaks it in. “That’s good enough for me.” He whispers before kissing him again. They don’t really stop kissing, Aaron starting to circle his hips and grunt against Robert. He’s panting a few minutes later, working Robert up and then sliding down on him, hands on Robert’s bare chest as he moves.

He collapses against him ten minutes later, Robert watching him shake down. 

“God you’re good.” Aaron says, he lifts his head up and bites his lip. “But that’s not ...”

Robert frowns as he feels Aaron slide out of him, look a little worried as he tries to speak.

“I don’t want you to think I just wanted ... or that I was just ... you know up for it and not ...” Aaron runs a hand through his hair and Robert kisses him. 

“Heard your vows didn’t I?” 

Aaron nods timidly before Robert kisses his forehead. “I know what this is.” Robert whispers.

“Yeah?” Aaron’s stroking over Robert’s chest and he watches him nod before he catches Robert’s mouth and kisses him again, and again until Robert leans over to see how much his phone has charged and there’s about twenty messages and emails coming in. 

“Aaron?” Robert says, turns his body around and Aaron stops the soft smile on his face in favour of a confused look. “Something’s happened.”

—

“Joe Tate was found dead last night.” It’s his opening line. He’s sitting at his large desk and he’s drumming his finger against the glass. Robert doesn’t think he’s heard him right until Lawrence stares right at him. “In his home. Opposite the road from you two.”

Aaron moves a hand over his mouth and shakes his head in disbelief. “No. I don’t ...”

“How?”

“A single gun shot to the chest.” Lawrence gulps. “Graham has disappeared. Ms Sharma is willing to help us with our enquires now.”

Robert doesn’t know what to say, all he can think about is Joe laying dead on the floor bleeding out whilst he was with Aaron. He keeps his head down when Lawrence explains that they have strong reason to believe that it was never him they were after. It was Kim. 

He brings out a folder. An interview Priya did early this morning, she’d basically confessed that he was feeling pressured into doing dodgy business. She mentioned Graham doing the goading when in reality Kim was behind it all. 

“Envelopes full of receipts for exporting goods, people.” 

“People?” Aaron’s eyes widen. “What the —“

“It’s bigger than what we thought.” Robert moves a hand over his face as Lawrence thinks. “This _Kim_ is not blood related to Joe which is probably why this is easier for her.

“Or she’s just a cow.”

“She’s out of prison in a week. Coincidentally there’s a docking port scheduled to —“ Lawrence stops himself. 

“Go on.”

“Where were you to?” Lawrence looks at Robert’s face and then at Aaron’s. “Answer me.”

“Asleep.” Aaron says quickly. “We would have gone straight there if we knew.”

“You could have confirmed it was Graham’s doing. You could have ...”

“I’m sorry.” Robert says heavily. He sees the way Lawrence is looking at him and it makes him want to turn away. He feels that shame. He feels it all over him. 

“We should go see what we can do to help now then.” Aaron goes to hold Robert’s arm but Robert steps away, he looks at Lawrence who clears his throat.

“The case is over for the pair of you.”

“What?” Aaron says breathlessly. 

“Joe’s dead. We have Kim. All we need is to formalise the evidence.”

“So let us.” Aaron frowns, “Lawrence we can ...”

“I want you off the case. You’ve done all you can. Except for being there when I needed you both.” Lawrence calls some man into the office, explains that he’ll be collecting their stuff for them. “In the mean time ...” Lawrence stands and passed over a key. “One of the office rooms, I’ll ask someone to get you some lunch.” He says begrudgingly.

Aaron’s talking a lot when they get into the room, he’s pacing up and down the room and saying he doesn’t understand. 

“How was he when you left work?” Aaron asks, Robert sticks his head out the window and turns slowly. “Robert?”

Robert eventually turns and then he shrugs. “He was fine. Graham was his normal self.” He closes his eyes. “Or maybe he looked a little tense. I don’t know. I was thinking about that _stupid_ dinner.” 

Aaron bites the inside of his cheek. “Don’t do that.” He says, he comes a little closer and stands in the space between Robert’s parted legs. “OK?” He cups Robert’s face and Robert turns his head so that’s Aaron’s hands drop. “Rob.” He says, his voice is hardly there and Robert surveys the room as he avoids looking at him.

“Joe’s dead because of us.” Robert says. He brings a hand towards his head and Aaron steps back. “We did that.”

“ _Graham_ probably did that.”

“Lawrence was calling us and we were too busy ... doing that.” Robert pulls a face, he shakes his head again and Aaron’s eyes flicker. 

“It’s shit yeah, and I’m sorry but that doesn’t mean —“

“We shouldn’t have done it.” Robert says.

Aaron’s eyes turn slightly glassy and he worries his bottom lip. “You were the one who ...” Robert kissed him, pulled him back in with a gentle softness, ripped his clothes off, told him again and again that he wanted it. “And now you’re saying —“

“No relations between mission members. It’s the golden rule, we broke it and Joe ended up dead.”

“It doesn’t just link up like that you idiot.” Aaron snaps, he comes closer towards Robert again. “It wasn’t a mistake.”

“How can you say that when ...”

“Because I ...” Aaron’s eyes are wide and then he leans back, leans away from Robert. “So we just forget what happened then do we?”

Robert looks towards the floor, he can’t forget what happened, he can still smell Aaron on him, feel his touch if he closes his eyes for long enough. But he has to try. “I think that’s best yeah.” He says. “It was just one night.”

It was _more_ than that, it was him and Aaron over and over and over again. Gentle kind kisses, soft touches, nails down each other’s backs as they struggled to stay quiet.

Aaron nods. “Yeah. One night.” He says, he goes towards the door and Robert can’t help but ask where he’s going. “Away from you.” He says before slamming it shut. 

—

They’re on lock down, it usually happens straight after a case and Robert hates it. He hates having to sit in his flat, alone, counting down the days until he’s allowed to go back to work. 

He’s had to speak to someone to considering someone died on their watch.He has to say that he’s dealing with it fine despite the fact that he isn’t. He’s thinking of what else he could have done, he’s thinking of history repeating itself over and over again. It manages to get inside his head and make everything worse.

On top of all that, Vic’s there too. She’s in the back of his mind telling him that she wants to see him. He bites that bullet and feels brave for it, he sends a text telling her that he’s on a case and he’ll ring when he can. He wonders how she’d feel about him pretending to be married to bloke, he never got around to telling her explicitly what he liked, who he liked, before their dad dropped dead and ruined everything. 

He supposes he should feel freer now he doesn’t have that judgment from him but it hasn’t worked out that way at all. It’s sort of made things worse.

Robert’s eating a meal for one out of the packet when he hears a knock on the door and sees Aaron standing there. He has a small smile on his face and Robert’s stunned to see him.

He’s missed him, he’s thought of ringing him over and over again but hasn’t. Something has stopped him, something he knows is overwhelming him. He looks at him, notices that he seems paler, seems tired and worn. He tries to smile but it doesn’t really meet his eyes so he gives up and Robert sighs. 

“We’re not supposed to ...”

“Yeah well, the idiot sorting our stuff out gave me your fancy underwater radio thing.” Aaron takes it out of a duffel bag and passes it over. 

Robert gulps hard and then remembers the purple hoodie he’d been given. He goes and gets it before coming back towards Aaron. “This really isn’t my look.” 

Aaron laughs but he keeps his head down and he sounds sad for it. He looks up eventually. “Feels like we’re getting divorced or something.”

“Pretty much.” Robert bites his lip, he wants him to go, he needs him to go. 

“Robert ...”

“Is that all it was, just the radio —“

“Can’t we talk?” Aaron looks so open, so honest in his expression and Robert doesn’t know what to say. “What happened between us, it wasn’t a mistake.” He’s saying. “Not for me anyway.” Robert goes to speak and Aaron basically shuts him up. “Look I know what happened to Joe was ... but we don’t _know_ that we could have done anything to help him.”

Robert looks towards his window, moves towards it and Aaron stay where he is. “You don’t get it.”

“Get what?” Robert stays silent and Aaron pushes. “Robert, just let me in.”

“I’ve already been responsible for ruining a mission before OK? Connor didn’t _die_ but ... it was bad.” Robert can’t even look at Aaron.

“I know.” Aaron’s voice is soothing but Robert fights it. 

“No you _don’t_. You don’t know and I’m glad you don’t have to.” Robert says. “Because it eats you up, knowing you’ve ruined something.” Robert tips his head up towards the ceiling. “My dad was so ashamed, he packed up my stuff and got a train down just to let me know how sick I made him. Last time I ever saw him that.”

“It was because ... Connor wasn’t some fancy woman. Not because you nearly ruined a case. Robert you could have done the best job in the world and he wouldn’t have been ...”

“Just stop.” Robert turns away from him. “The moral of the story is that I fucked up because I thought with my dick and not my head, because I was reckless and stupid and ...”

“That’s what you were this time?” Aaron looks like he’s being punched in the stomach, he doesn’t know how else he’s supposed to take it. He looks away when Robert stays silent. “Cheers.”

“Aaron ...”

“You know how I feel. How I’ve felt for ... for a really long time.” Aaron whispers, he’s hardly getting his words out and his face is bright red. “I showed you didn’t I?”

Robert closes his eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He says. “Aaron, I ...” He goes to step forward and then Aaron moves away from him, he stays silent before looking at the calendar on Robert’s wall. He sees that he’s circled the date of Kim’s release. 

“Don’t tell me you’re planning on going to the docks.” Aaron says. “Are you crazy?”

“Just leave it.” Robert says. 

Aaron rolls his eyes. “This isn’t your _fault_ , you don’t have to keep beating yourself up over it like you could have changed anything.” 

“Yeah well if I wasn’t busy wasting my time pretending like we’re actually _husbands_ , like we’re actually in — in love and —“

“I wasn’t fucking pretending.” Aaron shouts, his eyes are watery and Robert’s face falls. He wills him to say something but Aaron just shakes his head and leans away. He takes off the wedding band and Robert holds his breath. 

“Aaron ...”

“Fuck you.” Aaron says, he throws the ring and it bounces off Robert’s chest, onto the floor. “You’re right. I’m the idiot for thinking it wasn’t all pretend for a little while. But ... consider the message heard.” He goes towards the door and doesn’t look back.

—

There’s a gnawing at the back of his brain when the day comes. He’s not due into work for another six days and so he’s spent all his energy on doing this, waiting for this crazy woman to be released from jail and continue whatever she’s doing.

Maybe he’s also got Leyla from the office to tell him what’s going on, the long and short of it is that they’re expecting to arrest Graham there and also Kim for whatever crazy shit she’s planning to do. Lawrence suspects drug smuggling and everyone’s still reeling over the human trafficking accusation around the office. 

He’s counting down the minutes until he can leave, hide someone and try and help in whatever way he can. He wonders if he’ll be able to but it doesn’t even matter. He’s righting his wrongs through this, he is. 

Everything seems to crash through him though when he sees his sister calling him. He doesn’t even know why but something tells him to pick up. He hears her voice for the first time in a really long time and he smiles against it.

“I’ve just missed you.” Vic says. “Since dad. It’s why I’ve been trying to ...”

“Yeah I know.” Robert’s voice is thick with emotion. “I’ve been on a case though so ...” He stops himself and then breathes out deeply. “Married to a bloke this time. For the case.” He waits, he feels his hands shaking.

“That’s fun.” Vic says. “God I’d love to have your job.” She says. “What’s wrong?” It’s like she can _sense_ it.

“What if it ... wasn’t just a job.” 

“You’re _married_.” Vic’s eyes must widen, she’s dramatic like that and he has to shake his head.

“No, no, no not married.” Robert gulps. “But the thing is ... I’m ... I like men and women. So I suppose ... I could.” She doesn’t say anything and he wants to die. “What do you ... think?”

He suddenly realised that she’s crying or trying not to cry. “I think that’s brilliant.” 

“No you don’t.”

“Well OK not brilliant, because it doesn’t matter. Or it does. It’s great, it’s —“

“You can stop speaking now.”

“I’m really happy you could tell me, finally.”

“Finally?” Robert freezes a little and she explains.

“Caught some lad hopping out of your bed a few years back when I came to visit. I’ve known. I _know_.” He can feel her smile. “And I’m happy for you.”

“You are?” Robert’s chin nearly wobbles. He feels eight.

“I am.”

He feels like he doesn’t need to pretend anymore. Aaron’s words ring in his ears. 

—

Robert allows himself to scroll through some messages on his phone, Aaron’s messages. He’s saved under Husband and it’s such a joke. 

He allows himself to read between the lines. 

And then he stops. 

—

The dock is a bit of a way away so Robert’s later than he planned. His car sticks out in the darkness so he parks up and walks towards the docking load and waits. He’s not exactly sure what he’s waiting for for but nonetheless he’s here. 

He’s trained to be able to see the police from a mile off, they’re peering from some flats and he does his best not to alert them of his presence. He can’t help but feel a little annoyed that Lawrence has passed this on to proper authorities but heputs it in the back of his mind. He sort of has to when he sees a woman arriving in a blacked out car like she’s a gangster.

She’s definitely older than the pictures, prison’s aged her and he shouldn’t find how she gets out the car funny but he does. He watches for a second in silence and sees the driver get out too. He instantly recognises him, he’s all long black coat and wearing a suit just like always. 

He leans over to get a better look, thinks about weaving between the industrial blockades and moving further towards them but he’s halted by a man approaching them. Tall, well built, heavy beard. He’s mumbling something and Kim is shouting at him and then something pulls up on the dock. A shipping containment that he’s sure is filled with drugs. 

He hears her say it’s a deal, they’re discussing prices and she’s saying nothing is going to stop her from building a life for herself. Robert thinks of Joe and then suddenly feels someone pulling at him. He’s pulled back and when he stares up it’s Aaron holding him, eyes bright blue as he wears his hoodie up and scowls.

“You’ve _got_ to be kidding me.” Aaron seethes. He only lets go when Robert pushes at him and tells him to. “What are you doing?” 

“Seeing the job through.” Robert whispers. “I couldn’t just sit at home knowing they were busting this cow for ...”

“She’s not just some _cow_ , she’s in the middle of a drug deal, she’s suspected of human trafficking _just_ to get what she wants. This, it’s dangerous.” Aaron pulls at his arm again only Robert stays still.

“I know what I’m doing.” 

“We’re not police.” Aaron whispers. “OK. We do the ground work and then _they_ step in. You know this.”

“I’m not planning on storming the castle, I just want to be here when she ...” 

Aaron shakes his head again. “You need to come with me.”

“No. How are you here anyway?”

“I followed ya. I was ... I ...” Aaron’s eyes look heavy with something and then he sighs. “This is dangerous. You’re gonna get hurt.” 

“I’m not. OK, I’m —“

He’s cut off by the sound of someone’s feet coming towards them. He reaches out for Aaron and plasters them towards the container. He panics for a second, feels Aaron’s hand squeeze against his and he stares down at the way they are before lifting his head up and hearing what he knows is the police.

They’re fucking everywhere, shouting and screaming and Robert feels relief run through him as he sees them pin them down on the floor. He peeks his head out to see Kim there, shouting and screaming against them.

“See, we did good.” Aaron says, a hand hovers over Robert’s shoulder and Robert smiles at him before his eyes flicker and he saunters out. The police make a go to arrest them but they explain and a senior office allows them through. 

They watch Kim get carried away, then Graham and the two other men they were negotiating with. Robert watches Aaron smirk at them and he feels this wave of feeling for him, strong and mighty, he brings a hand down and he holds at Aaron’s. Aaron lifts his head up towards him, blushes softly before squeezing down.

“We make a pretty good team don’t we?” Robert says. He waits for Aaron to respond but he doesn’t get one. 

Of course he doesn’t get one. 

The police are just as inept as ever aren’t they? There’s a brute they were just smirking at laying on the floor one second and then he’s reaching into his pocket and Aaron’s letting go of his hand. 

Then he’s on the floor and the police are paying more attention to the man with the gun than him. It feels like things slow down around him, Aaron falls back instantly and Robert sees that the bullet has hit the top of his collar bone. He’s bleeding out, he’s really fucking bleeding out. 

Aaron doesn’t say anything, Robert just holds at his hand and tries to think of something to say that will hide his reaction.

“Bad?” Aaron eventually says. “It’s bad.” He whispers, he can feel everything draining and then Robert’s over him telling him it’s fine. He brings a hand up to touch Robert’s face and then it hurts too much so he brings it down again. 

“Keep your eyes open. That’s what they say right?” Robert looks around and sees someone kneeling next to him, telling him to keep pressure on the wound. “Aaron I’m so ...”

“Got to be your pretend husband. Don’t say sorry.” Aaron pulls a face and then he shudders, his eyes flicker back and Robert freaks out over it.

He feels this _loss_ and opens Aaron’s mouth with one hand, blows air in whilst someone applies pressure so he can press down on his chest. 

“It’s going to be OK Aaron. With me. Us. I promise.” He’s not even making sense, but he keeps it up, hands falling back over Aaron’s hair as an ambulance arrives and he’s whisked away to the hospital. Robert’s left outside as they asses the damage and he bites right down on his fingernails in suspense.

Lawrence comes to see him, he takes one look at him and then sighs like he knows. 

“If he dies ...”

Robert explodes with anger as he stands. “ _What_?” He shouts. “I’ll have messed up something else. You think I care about this job more than him in there?”

Lawrence shakes his head. “I suspected as much.”

“You going to fire me now?” Robert asks. “Because I don’t give a —“

“You do.” Lawrence steps forward.

“But you won’t do anything.” Robert tells him. “Mainly because I’m fully aware of all the underhand missions you’ve sent me on for _your_ benefit and not the governments.” Lawrence’s face twitches. “You’re no better than me, and you’re certainly no better than Aaron so you’ll start showing him some fucking respect.”

Lawrence stares. “Well let’s hope he pulls through.” He says before turning. Robert watches him go and then sees Adam appear from the hallway nodding his head and smiling at him like he’s proud.

It’s a strange day because he accepts the half hearted hug Adam offers him. He leans in and Adam doesn’t say anything to him, he just sits in silence until he looks at Adam. 

“You tried saving him they said.”

“I was the reason he was shot in the first place.” Robert bounces his knee and then looks at Adam. “What?”

“He must _really_ love you, no pretending now.” 

Robert can’t say anything back. 

He hates himself suddenly, hates the fucking world until he’s allowed to see him.Adam’s gone home, he’s promised to ring him if anything happens but he’s out of immediate danger so he can breathe again. They both can. 

They don’t let it happen for ages, they’re concerned about the blood loss, about the force of the shot, about how unresponsive he’s been. But he doesn’t need surgery, he’s lucky apparently.

And he’s asked to see his husband.

Robert stands by the door nervously as he watches Aaron tilt his head slowly. He’s been _shot_ , it’s been hours since and the blood stains are still over Robert’s hands but he’s alive, he’s breathing, he’s —

“Did you like my joke, asking for my ...” Robert can’t breathe. He looks so fragile. “Hey, come here.” Aaron croaks out, he reaches a hand out and Robert walks towards him. “I’m alive.” He has a small smile on his face. “I felt you ... do the whole rescue thing.”

“You still ... you were shot ‘cause of me.” Robert says. “If I hadn’t been there then ...”

“Well if I hadn’t loved you I wouldn’t have gone in the first place so blame me.” Aaron is almost breathless as he speaks but Robert can hear him. He feels it tingle through him, this feeling of absolute awe. “Did I just say that?”

“Yeah. You did.”

“It’s the drugs.” Aaron hides his face and Robert leans over to hold it. He makes Aaron look back at him. 

“I’ve fallen in love with you too.” Robert has goosebumps as he says it, he feels like a kid. 

“You don’t have to say ...”

“I’m not lying.” Robert panics at the thought of Aaron not believing him until Aaron strokes his hand. “I thought you were dead ... you stepped out for me. You stepped out and got shot so I wouldn’t get ...”

“Well you know why.” Aaron’s eyes close and then open again slowly before he holds Robert’s hand up towards him. “But I know ...”

“Know what?” Robert whispers.

“I know you’re not ready, for this, us.”

Robert sniffs, holds Aaron’s hand tighter before sighing. “I’m not ... there yet.” Aaron slips his hand out softly but Robert pulls it back. “But I’m not letting you go.”

“I can wait.”

“I’m done with all that ... _waiting_. I’m me. It’s not a bad thing. It’s ... it’s just me.” Aaron’s never looked at him like this, he feels it everywhere. He can’t escape it, he doesn’t want to. Robert breathes out steadily. “What you said about my dad being ... being angry over that mission because it was a bloke I was interfering with and not ... because I nearly ruined the mission. It’s true. You were right.” He gulps. “I know I’m good at what I do.”

“So do I.” Aaron smiles weakly. 

“Nearly as good as you.” Robert whispers. Aaron’s face lights up despite how weak he looks. “What? Youngest spy in the team.” He remembers Aaron telling him something about it, how he surprised everyone, how his family were proud he stopped moping around and did something for himself. Robert sighs again. “So screw what my dad thought about it ... I’m bisexual.” 

“See that?” Aaron whispers.

“What?”

“World’s still spinning innit.” Aaron whispers, Robert feels his shoulders slump and he brings his hands towards Aaron’s face before kissing him as hard as he can.

“Don’t ever get shot for me again.”

“Don’t ever give me reason to again.”

Robert runs a hand through Aaron’s hair, eyes gentle and kind. “Deal.” He says.

—

Kim’s plan to build an empire off of dodgy drug money and the odd illegal worker basically has gone to shit. Graham’s dobbed her in it without a second thought. Apparently killing Joe was never meant to happen, that Kim pushed and he caved.

He’d changed his name for a fresh start, no evil plans intended.

The short story of it all is that she’s behind bars and so is Graham. Joe can get his funeral, he’s got a kid brother who’s waiting for it.

Robert has Aaron’s hand in his when Lawrence leaves the room, fresh from filling them in about what’s happened. He tells them it’s worked out in the end, that they’ve done a good job and that Joe would be proud. 

He skips past Aaron getting shot in favour of telling him that the shooter will get what he deserves. It seems enough for now. 

“So now what do we do?” Robert looks towards Aaron, his eyes flicker slightly as he soaks him in. He’s not up to work yet, he still winces when he walks too far, but he smiles like he means it a lot. 

“You can take me on a date.”

He does, where they were supposed to have their _first_ date, the one where it all went wrong. They laugh about it, hands together and stupid smiles on their faces like they didn’t despise each other. 

“I mean it, I didn’t actually hate ya.” Aaron says, his eyes are wide and soft. “Thought _you_ hated me.”

“Well you were a prick.” Robert says, he tilts his head. “But you did the whole saving my life thing didn’t ya?”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “You ever going to shut up about that?” Aaron likes to brush it under the carpet, pretend it didn’t happen. He’s scared of how much he was willing to do for him, how he’d do it again in a heartbeat. He’s said as much, between moans, between kisses, holding on to Robert’s bare shoulders. 

“No.” Robert whispers, he circles Aaron’s finger with his thumb and then sips at the wine he’s drinking. “Not ever.”

“Ever?” Aaron licks his lips and sits back in his chair. “Sounds like a big thing to say.”

“Maybe it is.” Robert says, he doesn’t know why but _this_ doesn’t make him anxious or scared. It makes him feel alive. 

Aaron muses on the thought as he sits. “You know, this is _only_ our first date.”

“Technically it’s our second.” Robert leans forward. “And we did get hitched. What?” 

Aaron’s head dips. “You sure about this?” He says nervously. Robert deadpans. “You haven’t, you’re still ...”

“I love you.” Robert says and Aaron’s turns bright red. “And we’ve done all the domestic shit anyway, still survived.”

“Argued through it.” 

“And _yet_ ...” Robert leans forward and smiles. “You love me.” He whispers. Aaron goes to roll his eyes and Robert gasps. “You really really ...”

“Thought we’d establish that.” Aaron says, typical him really.

Robert nods slowly. “Yeah, I just like hearing it.” Aaron leans over to kiss him and he hesitates for the smallest second before pressing a kiss to Aaron’s mouth. He turns a little red for it. “I’m getting there.” He whispers. 

“Good.” Aaron whispers back. “I’m proud, even if you’re not yet.”

Robert feels touched with it as they slip into an easier conversation. He makes Aaron laugh over something and then frown when the bill comes.

“You’re paying this time?”

Aaron pulls a face. “I do remember just sort of storming out without paying.”

“Yeah. So do I.”

Aaron bites his lip. “Also remember saving your life.”

“Saved yours back with all that mouth to mouth action I did.”

Aaron shakes his head and he really looks like he’s in love with Robert. It makes his knees feel weak. 

“Fair point.” Aaron says before waving down the waitress. 

Aaron grips hold of his hand under the table as they wait and it feels like no one else is in the room. This, after everything, feels good. 

—

He’s basically moved in to Aaron’s flat, not because it’s bigger or anything but because they’ve broken Robert’s bed for obvious reasons. He hasn’t bothered to fix it. 

He’s out in the small terrace area, just finished watering their plants and Aaron’s knee deep in another case. Him and Adam are doing it together, it’s more of a stake out one, a famous artist doing weird shit or something. Robert’s not been listening. 

He’s been viewing the place as his and Aaron doesn’t seem to mind, he’s working up to the point where he asks if he can move in and he hopes it’ll go OK. He tried before, it caused a row and it made sense because of where Aaron’s head was at. An anniversary of his dad’s death came up, Robert didn’t even know he wasn’t alive and now he’s thankful he’s six feet under. He knows Aaron’s braver than anyone else he’s ever known. 

He watches Aaron now as he brings his pencil between his teeth, worry his brow over something and then smile when he gets whatever it is he’s been stuck on. Robert doesn’t think he’s ever going to get over the feeling he gets when he looks at him. 

“Hey Vic. It’s me. Ring me back when you get this ...” Aaron looks up towards him, smiles and mouths something about getting a takeaway tonight for dinner. “There’s someone special I want you to meet. I sort of know he’s ... the one or whatever it is they say but don’t scare him off by feeding him too many cakes alright?”

Robert knows what he’s saying, knows what he means and yeah there’s a load of stuff still telling him that this shouldn’t be him. But it is. He knows it. It’s scary to think, close his eyes and imagine only Aaron in his future. But that’s how it’s going. 

And anyway, it’s not like they haven’t done it all before. 

He’s sort of missed the wedding ring.

—

Lydia’s staring up at the house with a glum look on her face, bag of shopping in one hand and giving a slow wave at the family who are moving in. She thinks quietly in her head about how they’re not as exiting as the last tenants. It’s all she can really think about until she gets to her own house, turns the lock in the door and calls out for Samson to help her with the bags.

She nearly trips on something, and then spots a small letter on the floor addressed to her and Sam. It’s gold, cursive large writing and all that jazz. It takes her a second to understand what it means before she’s smiling. 

_Dear Lydia and Sam, _

_We’re sorry we had to move away so suddenly, we wanted to say goodbye before we left but we didn’t get the chance._

_The good news is that we’re getting married again, two Saturday’s from now. Camber Sands Beach just outside of London, the ceremony starts at one and we can’t think of anyone else we’d rather have be there. _

_Best wishes, _

_Aaron and Robert_

**Author's Note:**

> Let’s skip past the terrible non existent plot of this and focus on the fake!marriage lol. I hope you liked this! 
> 
> The official news of Ryan leaving made me want to get this out and my writing spark is definitely back. I’m hoping this has helped if anyone’s a little down in the dumps
> 
> Find me on tumblr: littlelooneyluna


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